Star Wars: A New Dawn
by Memeaag99
Summary: Picking up mere minutes after the events of "The Last Jedi", "A New Dawn" aims to bring an emotionally and thematically satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga, taking inspiration from both "The Rise of Skywalker" and personal theories and ideas on where the story should go. Rated T for occasional violence and discussion of some adult themes.
1. The Coup

**The following is a direct continuation of the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, attempting to honor and continue the thematic throughlines and the character arcs established in said movie, which are themselves a culmination of the previous installments. This will be a serialized story not necessarily meant to emulate the structure of a film.**

**PART I OF III**

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. **

**Chapter 1: "The Coup"**

_As I approached my shuttle to depart Crait, all I could sense around me was distrust, mockery, and disrespect. Some of our troops aren't coming back. Shouldn't have mocked what happened between me and Skywalker. Inevitably, though, the First Order was fractured, and there's no way I'll be in power for too long if I don't change the way they see me. _

_With the Supremacy and most of our Fleet torn to pieces after the pathetic Rebel hyperspeed maneuver, I have to decide where the First Order will meet next… What we will be after Crait and Snoke's death. I'm not sure I am totally prepared for such tasks. My place is in the battlefield, in the shadows. Was this the wrong decision? Did I act too impulsively? _

_This is all her fault. I'll destroy her. I'll destroy anyone who could dare challenge my power… _

Hux was still inside of Kylo Ren's command shuttle, and Ren himself was about to board the ship after the Rebellion had escaped. Hux felt this had been a terrible and humiliating defeat for the First Order.

"We should leave him here", Hux says to Major Shuffe, "we had the scum in our grasp and we lost them to Ren's childish rage. Leave him here. Being alone in a deserted planet will do him well"

"General, I'm not sure I can obey you. Are you suggesting the betrayal of our Supreme Leader?", Shuffe asks.

"He's not meant to be the Supreme Leader. He's on target, you can blast him now and end this. Someone else will take power, no matter."

"General…", Shuffe attempts to argue.

"Get your hands off the controls, Major. That's an order. Anyone want to try to stop me?"

"General, the Rebels have a Jedi with them, maybe more! How will we fight them without someone like Ren by our side?", Officer Breb says, nervously.

"We're nothing against the Jedi!", says Captain Aardu.

"The Jedi are no more! This girl is nothing but an obsession of Ren himself. We kill him, and if we run into her, we kill her as well. We destroyed the New Republic. What is some untrained, uncivilized, pathetic girl going to do?"

"We can't kill the Supreme Leader", a Stormtrooper says, quickly returning to his standby posture.

"How dare you stand up against me? Eliminate him!", Hux howls at the three Stormtroopers standing beside him. Two of them remain nervously motionless, and the third one loads his gun, gets in position slowly, and aims at his fellow trooper.

"Hey, don't, come on! I was just-", he attempts to beg for his life.

"Why are you listening to him? Listen to me and only to me. Kill him. Then, come here and kill Ren", Hux barks.

"Please, sir, don't do this-", he keeps begging, but his cries are suddenly interrupted by the betraying sound of a former friend's blaster.

"Good work. Now, come here and follow my order", Hux says, smugly.

Hesitantly, as if wishing that Ren himself would hear them from the ground and stop Hux, the loyal Stormtrooper walks toward the controls.

"You're a Stormtrooper. You are here to obey. Obey me. Kill Ren", Hux says, arrogantly. Officers and soldiers surrounding him look at each other and at the General himself, nervously. The loyal Stormtrooper locks the shuttle's targets on a distant Kylo Ren figure slowly walking toward the ship.

"Fire, now", Hux says, growing frustrated.

"Yes, sir", the loyal Stormtrooper says, turning around to see Hux and taking a look at the armored man he killed mere seconds ago, a man he'd known his whole life. He slowly turns back and prepares to shoot. Never before has he felt so much conflict within himself. Where do his loyalties lie? He's supposed to follow the Supreme Leader, so why then, is he obeying Hux over him? And yet, he will surely be killed if he disobeys. Killed by someone who's also supposed to follow the Supreme Leader yet intends to have him killed. Is Ren even the legitimate Supreme Leader? If no one obeys the Supreme Leader, why should he? Why has he been following him his entire life? Who should dictate his will? His mind crosses all kinds of unexplored questions in a matter of milliseconds, before finally deciding his fate. The Stormtrooper discretely grabs his blaster, preparing to shoot, but then a deep voice through intercoms stops him.

"I know how we can track down the Rebels", Ren's voice mouths.

The loyal Stormtrooper sighs in relief and lets go of his blaster, having been noticed by no one.

"I'll tell you on the shuttle", Ren's voice is heard again.

Hux grabs his intercom, "Good work, Supreme Leader. We are expecting you. Soon, the Rebellion will be no more". Hux looks at the Officers around him. "We will have another chance, but it's fortunate to know we have soldiers who are willing to do the right thing even when it isn't easy. Trooper, what is your designation?"

"RX-2008"

"I will look forward to your performance in the future, RX-2008. Loyalty is valued above almost all else in the First Order. And, regarding Ren…", Hux says, now more explicitly addressing everyone else present, "… another opportunity will come. Without the Supreme Leader, the First Order will be a mess if we have no plan on how to move forward, but this will be resolved, and soon, the galaxy will be ours!"

RX-2008 salutes General Hux and returns to his guarding position. Then, the shuttle opens its gate, and the Supreme Leader walks in.

"You seem scared", Ren tells Hux as he walks in.

"How could I not be scared? Our leader was just bested by a lightshow!", he responds, subtly mocking him. Ren slowly turns to face the General. He says nothing, but there's a burning frustration beneath his eyes.

"Supreme Leader, where to?", asks Captain Aardu. Ren takes a few seconds to think.

"What is it that you found, Ren? To track down the Rebels…", Hux asks him.

"It's not an object. I can find them with the Force… and, Captain, we're going to Bespin"


	2. The Old & the New

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.****  
**

**Chapter 2: ****"The Old and the New" **

_Old Snoke once said something interesting. There was, and presumably still is, a way of finding other Force users across galaxies. Feeling them. He was so skilled at it, I'm almost sure the mental bond between me and Rey that he helped to create was simply an extension of it. It's certainly an interesting ability which not many Force users are able to achieve. His teachings may prove to be useful, after all._

_I still remember the questions surrounding his identity back in the early days of the First Order. Some thought he was a descendant of the old Darth Sidious, or Sidious himself. Others rumored he was the legendary Darth Plagueis or some clone of him. With the sudden vanishing of Han Solo from the galaxy's awareness, some even thought Snoke was no other than my father. Interestingly, the story of Snoke is rather simple. He was born on a poor labor planet and he knew and felt the Force since he was very young, in the times of the Empire. His people were forced to work to manufacture what would later become Star Destroyers, and there was not much he could do against the Empire. After the great battle of Endor, however, the remnants of the Empire were chaotic, and his family and everyone he knew was murdered. He could not take it anymore. His anger and inability to have a life blew up. He used the Force like never before and lifted the ground itself, using it to crush thousands of soldiers. He then pulled a Star Destroyer that was beyond the atmosphere and used it to crush many of the soldiers left. Feeling like the most powerful man in the galaxy, he decided to take what was left of the Empire and build a new one, under his command. I personally believe the deaths of Darth Sidous and Darth Vader could've influenced his sudden feats of sheer power. It's both frustrating and fortunate that we live in a cycle, where our parents' mistakes shape our lives, and our mistakes shape those of our children._

_Regardless, as he began this process of taking over, he said to me, he wanted to make sure he would never be taken down. Upon hearing of Skywalker and his training of a new Jedi Order, he knew his power would be threatened, but he sensed someone close to Skywalker who would be able to rival him: Ben Solo. From worlds away, he was able to communicate with me. And now, the student has become the master. It is my turn to learn how to reach out. Only thus will I be able to find her…_

Anger… fear… Snoke used to say these were the dark side. I need to be strong.

A quiet, frustrated, contemplative man dressed in black with his fists clenched sat down in isolation. He'd just decided they were going to visit a familiar place.

"Ren," Hux said, "why Bespin?"

"You will address me as your Supreme Leader, Hux" Ren said, without looking at his inferior.

"Sorry, Supreme Leader. Why are we going to Bespin?"

"Mining colony, Hux. We're in need of resources" Ren mumbled but continued to avoid eye contact.

"Would you like a throne from which you can ignore your peasants' requests? You are here to lead us, look at us when we talk to you!" Hux kept talking. For him, it seemed as if the power dynamics hadn't changed at all, and Ren wasn't now capable of ordering his immediate execution, but Ren knew if he killed Hux, maintaining control of everything in the military side of the First Order would prove to be a real challenge. He had already killed Snoke. It wasn't time to make another impulsive decision. For the moment, tolerating Hux was the more reasonable idea, he thought. He thus finally stood up. The movement alone scared Hux into taking a step back.

"Han Solo had a close friend in Bespin, Lando Calrissian. I knew him. I can work him into giving us what we need without making too much of a mess" Ren said, "we will get there and I will persuade him myself. Right now I just need you to stay quiet. I need to focus to find the Rebels"

"All right" Hux said and walked off.

Ren sat back down, cross-legged, closed his eyes, and slowed down his breathing.

_Where are you? Open your mind again! No! Relax. Don't fill up your mind with thoughts. Empty your mind. Your pathway is clear. Snoke is gone. No one can control you anymore. Han Solo is gone. You are strong enough to be on your own. Skywalker is gone as well… not by my own hand, but he's dead. The First Order is under my control. The Rebels are surely one final battle away from being terminated. Leia is… Leia's nothing. She poses no threat to me. Her days are… No, my mind is losing focus. Snoke gone. Solo gone. Skywalker gone. I am now the last Skywalker. Rey. She can no longer stand in my way. The goal is to find her and destroy the last glimmer of life behind her eyes, like I destroyed Snoke's and Solo's. Destroy Rey. Find her and destroy her. Focus._

_I hear some muffled voices in the distance. Too many, suddenly. Crying out for help as if being incinerated. Too strong. Focus on Rey… No… I hear a tremble… like the ground is being shattered… I feel defeated, humiliated… Is it… whose voice is that? Am I hearing a voice? Is it a man's voice? It's not there anymore… just whispers… it's back… the whispering… what is it saying?_

It all quiets down for a second, and then the male whisper turns into an intergalactic scream that only the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren hears.

"Ben!" he hears in shock, then losing his balance and falling all the way to the floor. His troops approach him to see what's going on.

"What was that?!" Hux asks.

"Someone strong with the Force, somewhere… sometime… it's the first time I've tried this… It's normal, I'm all good. It's no one else's business, go back to your tasks" Ren yells, attempting to reaffirm himself before his doubtful troops. Only Hux remains looking at him with distrust.

"Has this proved too much of a challenge for you?" Hux asks, challengingly, then leaving back to his post. Feeling shocked that someone would be strong enough to reach him through the Force and weaken him like that, Ren still tries to catch his breath. Worst of all, he used the name of someone he hasn't been for years. A new challenge was rising elsewhere in the galaxy, right at the moment where the Rebellion could be most easily wiped out and the First Order could be most easily taken over, but Ren's initial question remain unanswered, and it's one he would repeat to himself many times in the coming future…

_Where are you, Rey?_


	3. Oldocia & the Jedi Steps

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 3: "Oldocia and the Jedi Steps" **

_With Luke gone… I guess I'm the last Jedi. We managed to flee from Crait and the First Order's grasp, and arrived at a planet that the Empire never stepped into: Oldocia, but I'm not sure where to go from here. Leia told me to meet her today at dawn to talk, but I don't know what we will even talk about. I wonder if she knows who I am. I'll find out in a few minutes, I guess…_

Though she still struggles with calling herself a Jedi knight, she does look like one. Rey looks around while walking, seeing the modest town around her. A group of kids plays with sticks pretending they're swords. They often make movements with their hands that look like they're attempting to use the Force. One of the kids, Rey notices, wears a cape and has a stick that resembles the unusual shape of Kylo Ren's. Memory hits like an asteroid.

_What happened to you, Ben? I almost saved you…_

Rey is hit on the back with a stick.

"Are you Luke Skywalker?" asks the innocent and playful kid. Rey rubs her back while turning around, looking slightly disappointed with herself.

"I don't think s-"

"Do you know him? I thought he was in the Rebellion but I don't see him here"

"Me either…"

"Are you a Jedi knight? If so, where is your light sword?"

"Well, I don't have one at the moment-" Rey says, while kneeling down.

"How are you going to be a Jedi knight if you don't have what it takes?"

"I… I will figure it out, I'm sure" Rey nods, optimistically but visibly worried.

"Well, if you ask me, as long as the Rebels have Luke on their side, they will win. If you see him again, tell him I said hello!" he says, while running away and toward the other kids.

"Well, I don't know your name, but sure, I'm certain he won't ask about it" Rey says to herself, while getting back on her feet.

"Making friends already?" Finn says, approaching Rey.

"That's how we win, right?" Rey responds, optimistically but with an inch of sarcasm.

"You sound a little down, you alright, you good?"

"Yeah, I just uh… no, I'm good, I'm fine, Finn, thank you"

"You sure? I'm not great with reading body language… I don't know, are you really okay?" Finn insists, energetically.

"… Yes" Rey says, faking a smile.

"Oh, good. Hey, well, I'm gonna go find Rose. We still haven't talked about the kiss back in Crait"

"Finn, we've been here one day. Didn't she just wake up this morning?"

"I know, right?" Finn says, as he walks off. Rey's smile fades slowly. Doubt and loneliness come back into her soul. She looks up at the sky, noticing it's almost time to meet with Leia, and quietly makes her way to the waterfall.

Meanwhile, at a closed home in the center of the town, what's left of the Rebellion talk strategy. General Leia Organa remains silent, watching Poe and Rose arguing.

"Simple as this. No fleet, no soldiers, no First Order" Poe explains, growing desperate.

"I get your point and I get your plan, but all I'm saying is that it doesn't solve the real problem at hand" Rose argues.

"Is there a bigger problem than them wanting to rule everything and there being less than a hundred of us? Rose, if we board the Millennium Falcon and they blow it up, that's the end. Bye bye, Rebels"

"No, but that's my point. It can't be that simple. If it is, we've been fighting the wrong way this whole time"

"Then how should we fight?"

"I'm working on it. Poe, look, your heart's in the right place, and I get you wanting to act as soon as possible" Rose says, as Poe nods as if affirming something obvious, "but there must be a wiser, more effective way to fight, and we need to consider it, and I just woke up".

"I am considering it…! I just… I…" Poe is visibly exploding internally "Leia, will you help me out?"

"Rose, can I talk to him?" Leia asks.

"No, I like it when he's yelling and his head's about to blow up" Rose responds, sarcastically, and walks off.

"She knows you mean well" Leia comforts Poe.

"Do I? Earlier she talked about how bad she felt that in this war we had to kill Stormtroopers, because they are literally kids forced to fight for a cause they can't even decide if they believe in, you know what my answer was? Seventeen seconds of a silent realization, followed by five minutes of blowing up right on her face, and I just… I don't know. I'm trying not to be a hothead anymore, but I feel so powerless and inhibited… Leia, we are not a force to be reckoned with. We asked for help back in Crait and no one came. This whole thing just… I don't know…"

"Do you feel like, no matter how hard we fight, it won't mean anything? That it will ultimately mean losing anyway?" Leia inquires.

"That is exactly what I feel, yes!"

"Well, that's probably what they all felt when we called them from Crait while being chased by the majority of the First Order"

"See, you would think that having a realization like that would make me feel better because I'd be wiser, but now I just feel dumb for not having considered it" Poe turns around and puts his hands behind his head in frustration.

"Poe… they can't win unless we let them win, and we let them win if we let them trick us into thinking we're alone in this fight"

"I'm starting to think we might be"

"And that's what Rose is saying. The Empire was beaten and it wasn't long before the First Order had taken its place… we didn't beat them in the right way last time. We have to fight smarter, wiser… and I'm sorry that we don't have an answer to 'how' right now" Leia says. Poe recovers his composture and relaxes.

"You can sleep peacefully tonight. I'm not gonna start a mutiny or steal the Falcon or anything like that. I just need to relax… get some air" Poe looks at the sky through a window "It's almost dawn" he gazes at his General and she returns the look.

"I know" she simply says.

Rey sits in front of the colorful river that comes from the nearby waterfall. She closes her eyes and lifts her hand, aiming at the water. She concentrates deeply.

_Focus. Feel the Force… like Luke taught you. Luke… I don't know what to do without his guidance… there must be forty Rebels back in base, all hoping that the last Jedi helps them take down the First Order. I hope so too, but how? Am I supposed to save the whole galaxy with my bare hands? I can't even move water… water… focus, Rey… back in the moment… step by step, you will be the Jedi they expect and need you to be. _

A subtle and brief ripple in the current is formed. Rey opens her eyes.

"Leia" she says, turning around to see the General.

"Rey… "

"I don't know what to do. I've been going over it in my head and I just… I can't fill in Luke's shoes. Perhaps we should've switched places back in Crait, like-" Rey was almost talking over Leia's attempts to speak.

"Rey… I don't think you sincerely believe that, and I think you know… you have no shoes to fill. Luke has done his part. A little late, some would say… but he's done it. Now you have to do yours, and no one else's" Leia attempted to comfort Rey. The former scavenger paced backwards and looked at her right hand, thinking back to her contact with Ben, when it seemed like she had been enough to save his soul. Was she right to feel that way? Should Ben be redeemed by someone other than himself? Could he?

"I think that might be easier said than done, honestly"

"I thought you were more optimistic than this. Am I misremembering?"

"Well, things were different. I was convinced my fate was sealed to be special for some reason outside of me… and I know I can be special on my own… but now with Luke gone and Ben gone, in a different way, everything just feels… too heavy. It's just hard to keep a positive attitude in this situation"

"Well, I can't promise that it will immediately get better"

"I know…" Rey finally looks at Leia again "…do you think Ben is lost? Beyond saving?"

"Well, I couldn't give you any evidence… but I refuse to believe he is. For a moment, I thought he might have been, but Luke came back and… I thought I'd lost him as well. He said no one's ever really gone… and if he could believe that…"

Rey smiled, appreciating that, though Leia was her teacher, she was not shying away from acting like a regular person, with doubts and feelings.

"So, for our first lesson. We're going to sense feelings" Leia tells Rey, while sitting down on a nearby rock.

"Whose feelings?" Rey asks.

"Everyone in the village. Sit down on the ground" Rey obeys her teacher and sits down cross-legged, "Close your eyes" her teacher says, "Recall that the Force flows through all living things equally. It flows through me and you, and everyone in the village, and the trees and the ground… and it's all connected. You can sit here and feel what any other living being on this planet is feeling. From what I understand, you've already done something like this with Ben"

"It was more Snoke and Ben, I assume…"

"You may be assuming wrongly. Regardless, we need to practice that, so we're gonna start with this. The village is very nearby, so it shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Feel the ground, the grass, every inch of it. Feel its life, feel its humidity, its warmth… everything that's touching it now and that's touched it in the past… every step it has felt, every voice that has spoken around it. Feel the wind, gently blowing the grass… and less than a mile away, feel the steps of every living thing in the village" Rey senses the vibration of every step and, eventually, of every voice, "At the center of it all, feel the balance, the harmony… and within that harmony, a variety of emotions" Rey feels it.

"I sense it" she says, with her eyes still closed. But then, a haunting thought and a horrifying image: a masked Ben Solo in Snoke's throne room. He leaves a trail of fire with every step he takes. He kills Snoke. He kills Han Solo. He kills Luke Skywalker. Rey starts trembling, losing focus.

"Rey… what's going on?" Leia asks.

Trees. Land. The village. Finn. Finn on the throne room, being cut in half by Ben Solo and burning. Everything around him now burns. Rey tries to focus. The river. The Rebels. The children. Ben Solo destroys it all. Rey's greatest failure. A Star Destroyer blows up the village. Everyone is dead and the First Order has won. The ground trembles.

"Rey!"

The ground nearby crackles. Leia is visibly shocked. Rey opens her eyes, breathing heavily, her heart pacing faster than ever before. Just seconds ago, everyone and everything she valued had lost because of her.

"Rey… I'm here, you're here… it's all right"

"I saw…" Rey has trouble breathing, "I saw the end of it… Ben…"


	4. Friendly Fire

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 4: "Friendly fire" **

A Star Destroyer approaches Bespin. Kylo Ren's shuttle lands on one of its hangars, and out of it comes the Supreme Leader himself, followed by General Hux, a number of admirals and officers, and three Stormtroopers.

"And the rest of the troops from Crait?" Hux asks.

"They are boarding another Star Destroyer as we speak" Ren turns to his followers "Be dismissed; we fly down to Bespin in an hour" and so they make their way, leaving only Ren and Hux, "I ordered that very Star Destroyer to do a round trip of every planet with young troopers" he says. RX-2008 is able to hear this as he's walking away alongside his two remaining friends, "We're not running out of troops right now, but if we're careless, we will be very soon"

RX-2008 makes a subtle gesture to his friends to stop walking. He pretends to tighten his leg and feet armor in an effort to keep listening.

"These are children, Ren, they are untrained!" Hux yells.

"I ordered them to pick up the older ones. Leave the young ones to keep training, or we won't have backup"

"You mean backup for the backup" Hux corrects.

"The ones they're picking up are close enough to the average age of official enlistment, they will fight w-" Ren stops as he finally senses RX-2008 listening, "This is a landing zone, trooper, and this conversation does not concern you. Tighten your armor elsewhere. You have five seconds or your two partners will blast you"

"Sir" the trooper hurries and walks away.

"More discussion than conversation, I would say" Hux tells Ren.

"I'm leaving in one hour. Have my shuttle checked and set up a training station for me, sublevel 4. I will be there in a moment" Ren says, then leaving.

RX-2008 and his two friends walk off and enter an elevator. The gates close and they press the button to descend. The three then retain guard position.

"You had to do it" one of them says. Then, a brief awkward silence.

"I didn't… I don't think so" RX-2008 responds. Another uncomfortable silence, "We shouldn't talk about this" he adds. The elevator opens into the Stormtrooper nursing area. A variety of masked Stormtroopers talk in an area with tables, though some are being attended by medical droids. RX-2008 and his two friends approach them. A Stormtrooper with half his body covered in ash is being treated.

"Where was he?" RX-2008 asks.

"Dantooine"

"Was this done by a flamethrower?"

"An Imperial flamethrower, yes. If you'd like to know the model, I can tell you right now. As a medical droid, I am programmed to be able to carry out multiple tasks at once"

"No. Tell me it was the natives who fired it"

"It was the natives who fired it" RX-2008 sighs in relief, "I think you'd like to know, though, that I cannot confirm that the admiral who fired it was a native".

"What? You said it was"

"You ordered me to tell you so"

"But it wasn't…?" RX-2008 gets defensive.

"All I know is that it was an admiral, sir. I do not know if he was from Dantooine or not"

"Allright" he says, walking off to the table area, alongside his friends, "…I don't like this"

"It's what we were told could happen. Our loyalty to the First Order is above all else" a Stormtrooper answers.

"But we are the First Order. Why do we kill each other? Why do they kill us?" RX-2008 wonders.

"This is the way of the First Order. Do not question it, traitor" another Stormtrooper responds. RX-2008 stops talking.

"I guess you're right" he says, dishonestly.

Elsewhere, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren walks into a dark room. He closes his eyes and puts his arms behind his back. From the invisible walls, blasters are shot at him, but he violently avoids each and every one of them, turning, ducking, and jumping. His mind is centered.

_I'll destroy Rey, and I'll destroy that man who spoke the name of who I once was. No one can stand in the way of me becoming the most powerful man in the galaxy._

He ignites his lightsaber and, with his eyes still closed, now deflects some of the blasters while avoiding the others.

_How dare he challenge my legacy? I'm a Skywalker. I'm taking my name back to what it once meant… strength, true power… what is he? Some lucky nobody._

The blasters stop, and four trained Saber Troopers come out of the shadows. They wield rudimentary lightsabers. Supreme Leader Kylo Ren fights them off, without killing them. The first three are defeated relatively quickly, but he takes his time with the last one, toying with him and wearing him down. In desperation and thinking Ren would continue to toy and fight defensively to prolong the battle, the last Trooper strikes too confidently and accidentally wounds Ren's shoulder.

The rage is too strong. No one can hurt the Supreme Leader, especially not right now that his power could easily be threatened. He strikes back and slashes the Trooper in the center of his chest, without cutting through it, but causing real damage. In his chaotic anger, Ren quickly, almost instinctively does yet another strike, this time at the Trooper's arm, cutting it in half. The Trooper falls to the ground and drops his saber. He screams in terrible and unjust pain. Ren just stands, contemplating what he did. The lights turn on and two Stormtroopers come in to pick up the one wounded on the ground. The remaining three formerly defeated Saber Troopers follow them. Ren is left alone in an empty room. His intercom beeps.

"Prepare to board your ship, Supreme Leader, or have you changed your mind yet again?" Hux's voice is heard. Ren turns off his lightsaber. It's time to confront a familiar face.


	5. The Fireplace

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 5: "The Fireplace" **

It's nighttime in Oldocia. Poe, Finn, and Rose are sitting around a fireplace in the village.

"And then…! You know, the First Order had killed my parents and I'd spent years in running spices, caring about nothing but my survival, and I scheduled a visit with Leia, and I got there, and I realized, I was in the New Republic's most wanted list. Top fifty"

"Who did you murder?" Rose asked.

"What'd you done?" Finn asked, genuinely baffled.

"Well, turns out the Republic was very strict about tracing the consequences of your crimes no matter how far they went. One sale I had done when I was fourteen, on my first year in the business, had turned into a shootout after I'd escaped, and in the shootout, one soldier dropped a grenade, and the grenade fell to a nearby hangar and blew up a ship" Poe tells. Finn is listening attentively at first, but then he sees Rey in the far back, all on her own "Now, the ship actually belonged to the long-lost grandson of some Trade Federation higher-up who'd remained in hiding for decades, but, you know, as soon as his ship got lost, he was suddenly into politics, I guess, just coincidentally"

"Rey?" Finn asks. Poe and Finn turn around and see her, as well. Rey is slightly surprised. She walks toward her friends.

"Hey, everyone, I had no idea you were here" Rey says, closer to the fireplace.

_I wish they hadn't been here._

Rey sits down beside Finn. Everyone's quiet. Poe breaks the silence.

"Hey, that was a real personal story I just told, by the way. I thought opening up about it would be healthy but I g-"

"That was a great story, Poe, sorry" Finn says,

"It really was. It speaks to how easily manipulated politics can be by those born in wealthy families" Rose said, meaning every word.

"Yeah, what? Sorry, I missed the second half. Did you kill a Senator or something?" Finn asks.

_I care about them so much… they have no idea who I am. Beside me, Finn… my oldest friend. I've been with him for about four or five days. We've fought together but I fear he doesn't know the anger within me. Poe and Rose, though, I barely know. I don't even belong here. These people are friends and heroes. I should go to slee… there I go, wanting to run away, again. Wanting to bury myself in loneliness, again._

"Rey?" Finn asks, "Are you all right?"

"I…" she struggles, "I'm fine, yes".

"Good, I was worried, but I guess it was nothing"

"You bought that?" Poe asks, shocked.

"I thought Jedi could make you believe things they told you" Rose adds.

"Wait, I just remembered a question I've got… what's up with Ren?" Poe asks.

"Are you comfortable with talking about that?" Rose inquires.

"I'm not sure…" Rey responds.

"That's alright. If you're not comfortable, you don't have to say it out loud" Rose answers, empathically.

"Well, it's technically healthy to do so" Poe adds.

"If she's not ready to open up about it, it's alright" Rose argues. Rey barely listens anymore. She thinks back to her days growing up in the desert of Jakku, when her parents sold her off for drinking money. The closest two people she'd known left her carelessly, and even with them she wasn't all that close. After that, it was all about who was the strongest. Being just a kid, she had to fight in a world that had never taught her how to fight. She was expected to survive in the world of violence she had not been prepared for. Years later, she was again expected to do an impossible task. Saving the galaxy. As she was reminiscing, though, she looked at Finn, Poe, and Rose arguing about wanting to help her and wanting her to feel better, and a realization came: this time, she wasn't on her own. This time, she had friends.

"I thought that Ben would turn" she says. The other three shut up immediately and look at her, "call it hope, or arrogance, or seeing myself in him, or anything you'd like, but I really thought he would turn… he didn't, he just killed Snoke and took his place. He wanted me to join him, too"

"And what happened then?" Finn asks.

"Something inside of him is broken… I didn't join him. I feared him"

"How do you feel now?" Rose asks Rey.

"I don't know, but wherever he is, I hope he's not going further down the dark path…"

The night goes on, with them all sharing their recent experiences. Elsewhere, the echo of Rey's hope is almost lost. Kylo Ren's shuttle approaches Bespin.

"Establish contact with the main port" Ren orders to the officers.

"Sir" one responds.

The speakers emit a voice that the Supreme Leader recognizes, it's Lando Calrissian himself.

"Well, if it isn't the great Kylo Ren! What do you want in here?"

"Lando Calrissian. With the rise of the New Republic, Bespin became the center of a new federation. You signed treaties with other stations and governments and now manufacture all kinds of technology. Am I correct?" Ren asks.

"What you said is the truth, yes"

"We want some of that technology. Are you willing to make a deal?"

"Bespin remained neutral for most of the Empire's rule. That was a mistake. Now, Bespin is more powerful than it was at the time. We can no longer afford to be neutral"

"What's your answer, Calrissian?" Ren asks, challengingly. Outside of the ship, as it nears the main port, smaller ships begin lurking out of the clouds, approaching the shuttle.

"It was a bad decision for Snoke to send his second-in-command to Bespin"

"Snoke is gone. I am the Supreme Leader now"

Lando chuckles, "Pardon my ignorance, then. It was a terrible decision for you to come here"

"I'm sure coming here will cause great pain and tragedy, Calrissian" Ren says, "End transmission" and his officers obey.

"Ren, he's right, they could be preparing an attack" Hux warns.

"They already have. Ships from the port are about to attack this shuttle, and I'm certain that the entire Federation is about to strike our Star Destroyer. I assumed as much, which is why I ordered three Star Destroyers to travel to this system and await further instructions. They are out there, hiding and prepared to strike"

"What is the purpose of this convoluted plan?" Hux asks, confused. Ren walks over to a computer along the control line and starts typing. The ships outside get closer.

"I will get inside the port and get our deal. Fly around the area, discretely, and wait for my next orders" Ren says.

"What was the point of this, may I ask?" Hux insists.

"Supreme Leader" voices an admiral through the intercom, "a fleet from the Federation is coming toward us".

"Resist it. I will negotiate with the governors and stop the attack in time" Ren declares, "I'm not an idiot, Hux", he then turns to one of the officers, "Fly over the station and open this panel when you're on the coordinates I just typed out". Bespin's fleet initiates the assault on Ren's shuttle. The shuttle is equipped with enough defenses to hold some blasts. It gracefully approaches the main port and lets the Supreme Leader fall into the port's ceiling. Ren uses the Force to slow down his landing, and his shuttle then takes a sneaky turn to hide in the clouds and lure the small fleet.

Outside Bespin, the First Order's Star Destroyer is under attack by the Federation's fleet. Inside the Star Destroyer, Stormtroopers feel the tremble of each blast. RX-2005 walks out of an elevator alongside five other Stormtroopers, but a blast causes them to trip and fall, "How did we get into this situation?" he asks.

"This is the center of a weaponized Federation, but I hear Ren wanted to come here and wanted us to standby out here" another Trooper responds.

"That's not it. I think I heard there's at least one other Star Destroyer in this system, and it's elsewhere, not helping us out" a third Trooper adds.

"What is he up to?" RX-2008 wonders, afraid for his life.

Back on the port, Ren is focused, crouching, with his hand on the ceiling, feeling every single person inside, locating all of his targets. He opens his eyes, to sense and find everything he's about to strike down. He stands up, ignites his lightsaber, and cuts off parts of the ceiling, without letting them fall apart. He then cuts one last part and jumps through it to enter the port. Inside, thirty six soldiers aim their blasters at the Supreme Leader, but he simply uses the Force to pull apart the fragments of the ceiling and use them to attack everyone at once, while he docks out of the way. Thus, in a matter of seconds, thirty six trained soldiers have been taken out by pieces of their own port. Some are dead. Others simply fainted. For Ren, it is negligible. They are but steps in his path to power. He finds the transmission center and destroys it. He then makes his way through the hallway that leads to the Governors' Hall, and finally slashes his way into it. Almost instinctively, he kills three of the present governors. Nine are still alive. Lando Calrissian is among them.

"I have eight Star Destroyers just awaiting my orders. They will destroy your Fleet. We will take control of all of your operations. Is it going to be by force, or are you willing to negotiate?"

Back on the shuttle, Hux wonders again, "Ren is gone. Let's leave him here"

"What?" an admiral asks.

"I don't yet know exactly how we'll go on without him, but let's do it now. Blow up the port" Hux howls, "...no…that's what he meant. He took us for fools…!", Hux turns to look at the officers, "there are no other Star Destroyers out there. There's only the one, and it's under attack by a powerful fleet. That was our only ship with hyperspeed travel. He tricked us, but we really only have one choice: waiting for him to come back after getting his deal"

"If you think any of us here will give in to your discount Empire's negotiation, you are gravely mistaken" Lando says.

"Taken by force, then…" Ren mocks.

"Wait, hold on, I have a family, Lando, back home. I will agree to the terms, just let me live" Governor Herr-Mo begs.

"Mo, don't be a coward", governor Frik says.

"Is it cowardice? Joining the First Order is no easy choice, Calrissian" governor Thgur exclaims.

"That is a terrible way to wash your hand, Tghur" Lando responds.

"It seems like there's some discrepancy. Perhaps your arrogance is unwarranted, Calrissian" Ren says, walking toward a nearby glass, "Your petty disagreements are of no consequence to me. Those who wish to negotiate a deal, sit down. Those who are too arrogant, remain on your feet to face the consequences". Six governors sit down, afraid. Lando, governor Frik, and governor Garzon remain standing up.

"I am embarrassed to have been in business with you all" Garzon claims.

"You three, put your arms forward and extend them" Ren orders, and the three politicians do extend their arms. Ren prepares to grab his lightsaber, and an internal conflict begins.

_Strike them down. Finish this._

_Should you kill Calrissian?_

_Why not?_

_You can't leave just one alive, it'll expose a weakness._

_Kill them all. Violently._

Three seconds feel like an eternity to everyone present.

_Finish this._

"… Wealthy families and homes… we could use your heads for ransom" Ren says, grabbing collapsable handcuffs from his belt, "You will be the First Order's prisoners. But don't take your chances". He then cuffs the three of them and ignites his lightsaber, "Now, your transmission center was destroyed by me, but with my intercom, you can communicate with your Fleet and order a halt. Save your troops. End this" he says as he puts his intercom on the table. One of the six governors sitting down grabs it and programs it to contact his Fleet's channel.

"Attention, Fleet. This is Governor Herr-Mo, signature number six three nine nine nine two, halt the attack. I repeat, the assault on the First Order must come to a halt. Return to your stations and await further instructions"

"Pathetic" Lando mouths.

Ren turns at him, angry, "Well done, governors". He then levitates the intercom toward his hand and contacts his shuttle, "Hux, come down to the port. We have our deal"

Ren played him. Ren played everyone involved. And yet, they got their deal. Hux agrees to land on the port to work out the specifics of the deal alongside the Supreme Leader and the six complicit governors. Lando, Governor Frik, and Governor Garzon are taken into the shuttle as prisoners. Hux meets Ren on the hallway.

"The First Order is not sustainable in the long term if you do not tell me your plans, Ren" Hux barks.

"I told you I wasn't an idiot, Hux. I know if I let my guard down someone will try to take my place. I won't allow it" Ren says, not even looking at his opponent in the eyes.

"You risked everyone in that Star Destroyer! I told you we'll run out of troops if we make irrational decisions like these! You know it would take far too long for any other Star Destroyer to come into this system to help us out"

"I wouldn't fail" Ren responds, confidently.

"And what if-"

Ren finally turns to look at Hux, and almost imitates Hux's own animalistic body language, "I thought of it all, Hux. It's not meant to be deciphered by you. If no one knows it all, no one can try to outsmart me. Now be quiet and let's settle this deal" he orders, then walking into the hall and being closely followed by Hux.


	6. We meet again

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. **

**Chapter 6: "We meet again" **

The deal had been arranged. The First Order had now secured a sustainable new provider of technology and weaponry. Hux would oversee the division and make sure it was put to good use. Ren didn't trust Hux, but for the time being, he would serve his purpose.

_Why am I drawn to this? I have no reason to be here. _

Having gotten back into the Star Destroyer orbiting Bespin, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren approaches the prison chambers section.

_What do you think you'll get out of this? _

Ren opens a cell, and in it is Lando Calrissian, handcuffed and in bed, with some bruises on his face. He's awake, and the sight of the violent man who was once an innocent boy he knew is immediately upsetting.

"What are you getting out of this, Ben?" Lando asks, sounding exhausted.

"That's not my name" Ren responds, coldly.

"You can put on an angry face and kill as many people as you'd like, but your family is not something you can deny, Ben Solo. I was there when you were just a kid, before you were this"

_Why am I here?_

"You know, they were always afraid that you would turn into this. It's why they sent you out with Luke… thought he'd guide you. What a spectacular turn of events it's been" Lando says, sarcastically. He looks defeated, without the strength to keep his head up long enough to even look at Ren, "I can't believe I thought there was still an ounce of light inside of you". Ren clenches his fists. Why is he angry? Isn't Lando saying exactly what Ben wants to convince himself of?

_How dare he? _

Lando's eyes are now closed. It would be so easy to destroy him now.

_Get out of there._

Ren leaves the cell, but though he is silent, there is a war inside of himself. Isn't Lando right? Ren was trying to get rid of all the light inside of him so the darkness would reign… wasn't he? Ben Solo was a creature of the past that Kylo Ren wanted to destroy. What is Ren really feeling? Only one person could help figure that out.

Meanwhile, far away, in Oldocia, the conversation around the fireplace continued.

"And, as I left the room, I heard something, like someone was firing a cannon repeatedly, and some yelling underneath all that. I thought maybe some Rebel had broken into the ship, or maybe even that there were Stormtroopers rebelling or something…" Finn describes, "I even thought it could be Hux"

"Shooting at a wall?" Rose asks.

"Or, you know, just talking" Finn responds. Everyone laughs.

"So, what was it?" Poe wonders.

"It was Ren!" Finn says, shocked. Rey's smile faded away, "I looked, and he was just smashing a table into pieces, while yelling", Rose notices Rey's expression.

"Did you ever find out what that tantrum was about, Finn?" Rose asks.

"Not really, but apparently, that wasn't an isolated incident. He's used to lashing out at inanimate objects, and sometimes even at people" Finn explains, somewhat confused.

"Well, I mean, we've all had those, right? Maybe not as literally destructive" Poe argues, "But I remember getting mad when things didn't go my way and… you know, yelling, waving my hands on the air, maybe kicking something… What can I say? It was tough being twelve years old". Finn laughs, Rose chuckles while rolling her eyes, and Rey doesn't react beyond gazing at the fireplace in front of her.

"What about you, Rose? You ever have tantrums like Ren?" Poe asks.

"Well, see, my father was a monk… not a Jedi, but he knew the Force quite well. There are many non-Jedi people around the universe who know and feel the Force, he told me. Now, my father didn't understand the Force the way the Jedi did. He disagreed with how they demonized feelings and… turned children into rocks, as he put it" Rose reminisced, "And he raised me keeping that in mind. I mean, I'm not… I can't move things with my mind and I would be terrible with a lightsaber… but he allowed me to be angry when I needed it, and sad when I needed it… so I don't really bottle up my feelings"

"She's right, she electrocuted me the second she knew I was trying to escape from the Rebellion" Finn adds, and everyone chuckles.

"... so, anyway, I guess he raised me in such a way that I learned to accept my anger. I mean, I threw tantrums when I was younger, sure, but I think because he allowed me to express it, I no longer really lose control of my feelings and blow up" Rose concludes. Rey contemplates what she just listened to.

"I have to go" she says, quickly standing up and running off, "I'll see you in the morning!". And just like that, they lose sight of her. Rey's mind is again going everywhere. Was it the Jedi teachings that twisted Ben? Were they responsible for turning his heart even before the catastrophic betrayal he felt by Luke? Was Ben Solo, now responsible for the deaths of countless people, no more than just a victim himself? Or was Rey being blinded? Could Ben Solo be saved? Only one person could help figure that out.

He sits down on his chamber, galaxies away. She sits down beside the waterfall. They both attempt to reach out. Somehow, the two young souls across the galaxy synchronize and look for each other at the same time. Their eyes close to concentrate. Noise comes from everywhere. Smells. Temperatures. Feelings. Then, a brief silence, and both of them know that there's no one else but them. Their eyes open, and it's like it always was. He's sitting right in front of her, and she's sitting right in front of him. They both take a second to digest the fact that it worked. They are together again.

"We meet again" Ben says, holding back his voice from breaking.

"Ben…" Rey says, simply.

"You were reaching out as well… Leia taught you, I assume. You were deliberately trying to reach someone…" Ren deciphers.

"Why didn't you turn?" Rey says, interrupting him and barely holding back from screaming it.

"… were you trying to reach me? Or was it someone else?" Ren asks.

"I wanted to talk to you… the real you… Ben Solo" Rey says, calming down.

"Ben Solo is dead and you know it" Ren states, intending to seem confident.

"But why is he dead?" Rey tries to understand.

"Because he was weak. I told you, the past must be destroyed" Ren says, almost like he's rehearsed it.

"You say that as if you weren't just lashing out because of your own past" Rey defies. Ren is quiet for a moment.

"What did you just say?"

"I want to understand you. I really do, but I can't do it if you don't talk to me" Rey says. Ren remains quiet, "Did you reach out to find me specifically?" Rey asks.

"Yes" Ren responds.

"Why?"

"I thought I was conflicted… I'm not. Not anymore" Ren says, closing his eyes again and then vanishing.

"Ben, I-" Rey tries to stop him, but he's gone. She closes her eyes to spirituality and opens them up again to the seemingly dark, lonely, and heavy real world. She walks back to her hut in the village and lays down on her messy bed, her eyes watering. Perhaps sleeping will help her forget about her failure. Isn't it her duty to save Kylo Ren? If she can't save Kylo, how could she hope to save the galaxy?

Ren opens his eyes on a Star Destroyer far away, but then flinches. He senses something. It's another familiar voice. A male whisper he'd heard recently calling him by a name he no longer recognizes.

"It's you… again…" Ben says.

"Hoping for someone else?"

"Who are you? Where are you?" Ben asks, attempting to sound intimidating.

"I don't belie-"

"If you're so powerful, why hide?" he asks, challengingly.

"I admire your spirit, Ben"

"That name means nothing to me, where are you?"

"The time has come to get past all of this. The galaxy has been playing the same game for thousands of years. Turning the Republic into an Empire was a fun twist, but the order remains largely the same, I think even you know this"

"Where are you?" Ben asks, bluntly.

"I think it was you who said we should let the past die"

"Ho- Where are you? Answer!" Ben yells, growing angrier.

"You claim to want to get rid of the past yet your claim to power is based on your bloodline; you are a part of that past. Your days are counted, Ben. I will find you and tear you apart"

"Who are you?!"

"Expecting to hear a familiar name? I'm guessing your bloodline determines who you are. Such a tragic case. The son of two Rebel heroes is nothing but a mockery of his own grandfather," Ren clenches his teeth and begins to tremble "A shadow of his last name!", Ren frees himself from contact, exhausted. He grabs his intercom.

"Hux, summon the Knights".


	7. First Steps

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 7: "First Steps"**

The Sun came out, years ago, in the distant Yavin 4. This lush planet was once home to a Rebel base, but that time had passed. The Rebellion had destroyed the Second Death Star and indirectly killed the Emperor himself. The remnants of the Empire had signed a peace treaty with a rising new Republic, though there were reports of a dozen ships and over a thousand soldiers missing. Little did anyone know, they were assembling elsewhere, in the shadows, preparing to return as a successor to the Empire.

A young and energetic Ben Solo woke up, excited for another day of training. Hyrris, a fellow trainee, had also just woken up. They decided to look for Master Luke, and found him inside of the Temple, levitating himself, while deeply focused. They saw him for a brief moment, and his eyes then opened. He landed on his feet like a well-trained Jedi Master from the Old Republic would. For better or worse, that's how he had decided to train this new generation of Jedi Knights.

"Hyrris, Ben… why are you here now? Session starts in half an hour"

"Ben wanted to see you, master. I just came along because I assumed you'd be doing something amazing to look at" Hyrris said.

"I wanted to see you, uncle Luke. Not as a master, but as an uncle. I thought we could hang out before the session, maybe eat together" Ben said, eagerly.

"Is that so?" Luke asked.

"Well, I didn't know that, but I'm hungry too" Hyrris added.

"I'll see you in half an hour. Let me talk to Ben, alone" Luke said, patiently. Hyrris nodded respectfully and left. Luke turned to Ben.

"How are you feeling?" he asked the kid.

"I'm well, I just… I miss my parents a little. Kinda missed you, too, uncle"

"Your parents are out there, saving the galaxy. You are training to be a Jedi, and the Jedi way is not to let yourself have attachments. They make you weak. There's an old book here about that, I'd like you to read it"

"No, I know, but how can I not miss them? They're my parents and it's been a month now, since I saw them. I count the days"

"You are just strengthening that attachment, Ben. Let go of it, and let go of your attachment to me, as well. I am your teacher. Anything else holds you back. That is the way of the Jedi; the way of thousands of generations of wise and powerful Jedi Masters" Luke echoed from his readings.

"I just don't understand how caring about my family makes me weak"

"Feelings are the way of the dark side. Master Yoda himself said so. Remember all those tales I've told you about him? 800 years of training Jedi, it's no small feat"

"… All right" said Ben in disappointment.

"If it were easy, anyone could be a Jedi" Luke said.

But it was no longer that day anymore. It was almost twenty years later, inside a Star Destroyer. Supreme Leader Kylo Ren was simply remembering it, fueling his own internal chaos to train. This was a usual exercise for him. An anchored shuttle would power up and attempt to fly away within the hangar, while Ren himself used the Force to hold it back, and keep it as close to the ground as possible. He had heard countless legends about Jedi Masters and Sith Lords bringing entire ships all the way down to the ground and crushing them. The mighty Skywalker blood and his rage should be enough for him to pull off such feats of power.

Meanwhile in Oldocia, Rose, Poe, and Finn keep talking after Rey has left.

"I like her, but she's weird" Poe says.

"I like her more because of that" Rose retorts.

"She's got something in mind" Finn says.

"Hey, serious question, do you think she can turn Kylo?" Poe asks.

"Turn him? Who, the dictator who killed Han Solo? No, I don't think he can be turned. Not by Rey, and certainly not by anyone else" Finn responds.

"Hey, you're a Stormtrooper turned Rebel!" Rose tells Finn.

"I never killed anyone. Sure, I was complicit in some nasty things, I guess, but still, never killed my father, never killed a Rebel hero, never ordered the murder of a whole village" Finn argues.

"You were a Stormtrooper for the same reason all of the others are: because you grew up being told by everyone and everything around you that the only sensible thing to do was to become a Stormtrooper… what if a similar thing happened to Ren? You chose to change your path; he can make that choice as well" Rose explains.

"Or have us killed any second" Finn adds.

"Oh, reality is settling back in… we're gonna be killed by the First Order" Poe says, his voice crackling. He then lies on the ground, overwhelmed, "I'm gonna sleep… or collapse internally trying", he says, putting his backpack under his head and switching position to be comfortable.

"Hey, so, Rose, wanna finally discuss Crait?" Finn asks, as he stands up, and moves to sit down right beside her.

"Skywalker, you mean?" Rose asks.

"You kissed me, Rose. And I know basically all we do since we met is argue, but… you know, it doesn't mean we hate each other" Finn says, attempting to sound sure of himself.

"I would hope so; I saved your butt!" Rose says, laughing.

"So what's the deal?" Finn asks, somewhat confused.

"No deal; we had just been through some really tough stuff… the moment kicked in… you know" Rose explains, slightly nervous.

"So it's a no?" Finn asks.

"Well, technically, you haven't asked me any 'yes or no' questions… but the answer is… we'll have to find out. My schedule's pretty busy, though, I have a war to fight"

"Really? I have a war to win" Finn says. They both laugh, but Poe, unable to sleep, simply listens to them, his face shrinking. There is conflict within him.


	8. To do & not to do

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 8: "To do and not to do"**

The Rebellion has assembled yet again inside the main hut. There is a giant table with several maps and notes all over it. Behind the table, General Leia talks with C-3PO. Chewbacca and R2-D2 stand nearby. Facing them, at the opposite side of the table, stand Poe, Finn, Rose, and the thirty or so remaining Rebels, as well as the droid BB-8. And then, the last Jedi enters as well, looking curious.

"What's going on?" Rey asks upon arriving with her friends. Everyone around them is talking.

"Hey, good to see you, what happened to you last night?" Finn asks her.

"Are you alright?" Rose asks.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, what's happening?" Rey responds.

"Leia has some kind of announcement, plan thing," Poe says, "No idea what it's about".

Leia finally stops talking to C-3PO and turns to the Rebels. Everybody quiets down and looks at her.

"Rebels… the events of Crait may have seemed overwhelming for some," Leia starts to speak. Finn gives Rose a slight look, and she responds with a slight eye-roll, "Feeling like the Rebellion is just us… it was a low blow, certainly. But we are not alone. Just because no one showed up, doesn't mean there aren't others around the galaxy also calling for help. The seed of the Rebellion is everywhere. All we need to do is water it. Find fellow Rebels and let them know that they're not alone" she concludes.

"So, what's our strategy, general?" a Rebel admiral asks.

"Yeah, where do we start?" a Rebel pilot adds.

"We can't possibly try every single planet. We would never end. Rather, we must start by going places where we know there are uprisings," Leia responds, "And there is a way to find out what these places are".

Rey didn't even need to use the Force for this. She instantly knew exactly where Leia was going with this. Her stomach churned in anxiety and fear. There was once more the danger of seeing Kylo Ren. Finn noticed her expressions. He, too, knew what this was about. After all, he had told Leia about what she was about to reveal to everyone else.

"The First Order keeps track of them. If we can get our hands on their records of this, we'll know where to start" Leia answers. Some Rebels start arguing amongst them.

"Did you know this?" Poe asks Finn.

"If so, good job on keeping it a secret" Rose adds.

"Well, kind of, it-" Finn starts to talk but is interrupted, just like everyone else's discussions.

"I will go get the records" Rey says, out loud. Leia looks at her. Her protegé. Finn, Poe, and Rose look at Rey and at each other as well, nervously.

Galaxies away, a Star Destroyer arrives from Hyperspace and approaches planet Hessah, which is itself already surrounded by three Destroyers. This planet had been under Imperial rule in the past, and on a state of political crisis ever since the fall of the Empire, but now, in an attempt to strengthen the First Order, it was under attack to establish a First Order training and formation facility in it. Aboard this last Star Destroyer is Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. He watches over from the bridge as they approach the assault.

"Sir, the Knights have received our call and are reportedly on their way," an admiral communicates, "I suggest staying on this system until they have arrived".

"Good work, admiral. I agree" Ren responds, coldly.

I should be down there with the troops to finish this operation quicker, but I know the second I get off this ship, I'm as good as gone. Hux must've already planned a way to run the First Order without me. That will not happen.

Down in Hessah, it was hell. A dark sky, endless screaming, running, and shooting, and fire everywhere. Stormtroopers cornered those who attempted to fight, and those who tried to run away were severely injured and most often handcuffed. The children were, for the most part, left alive, but some of them certainly suffered injuries.

A young woman carries her two-year old son in her arms and hides inside a house near a shooting. Anxiously, she uses keys to open a thick door in the house, leading to an underground room with no windows. She closes the door immediately and leaves her son lying down on a small crib in the corner of the room. Then, she covers the door with a thick table she drops in front of it. Finally, she opens the crib and sits in it, holding her son, and covering him and herself with old sheets. She trembles in fear. Will they find her? How long can this be a good idea? Even if the invasion ends soon, the First Order will take control of this planet, and there will be no shortage of Stormtroopers, so, is hiding even really a solution? At the moment, that does not concern her. She just hopes this works. But then, blasts are heard closer, and someone tries to open the door. She shakes in fear. It's a thick, locked door, they can't open it. But then, the door is blasted down by four Stormtroopers, and the table behind it is destroyed as well, in a matter of seconds. The troopers walk in and rush to the corner, where they order her to let go of her son. She refuses, so two of them grab her and separate her from the boy. The other two aim at her and have a few seconds of doubt before pulling the trigger and making the kid an orphan. Unbeknownst to the boy, as children, all of these Stormtroopers went through something similar. Are they aware of this tragic irony?


	9. Across the Stars

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 9: "Across the stars" **

Rey is aboard the Millennium Falcon, in the cockpit, preparing to find a Star Destroyer to retrieve information vital for the Rebels. She's conflicted, but knows if anyone can do this, it's her. Unbeknownst to her, Finn, Poe, Rose, and BB-8 enter the Falcon. Once she hears the door closing down behind them, she walks out of the cabin and into the main section.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"The right question is: "What are we doing here?"" Finn says, acting like he just said something very poignant, "I guess that didn't come out as well as I planned. You're not going alone. We're going. All of us".

"What? No! Absolutely not" Rey says, wanting to protect her friends. She walks over and opens the door again, "Stay here. The Rebellion needs you".

"That's why we're going on this mission" Poe replies.

Rey and her friends exchange looks uncomfortably for a few seconds. Reluctantly, Rey agrees. General Leia and the remaining Rebels watch as the Falcon takes off. Who knows when they will meet again, if ever.

"So… how do we go about this?" Poe asks. He's co-piloting the Falcon alongside the last Jedi. Finn and Rose sit behind them, "What was your plan, Rey?".

"Well, there's one way to be sure of a Star Destroyer's location. Ren must be in one" Rey responds, hesitantly, her mind thinking back to her last conversation with the dark lord.

"You got some kind of device to talk to him?" Finn asks.

"The Force… it's connected us for some time now" Rey responds, "We can talk across the galaxy. We've done it a few times already," this is the first time they've heard this.

"That's how he made you think he would turn…?" Poe asks, trying to link ideas in his mind.

"That's how I first got to think he would turn, yes".

"So, you're gonna ask him where he is?" Rose asks.

"In a way… trust me, it'll work" Rey responds, somewhat doubtfully.

Far away, outside Hessah, four Star Destroyers orbit, as the invasion reaches its end. Supreme Leader Kylo Ren awaits inside one of them, looking out to the planet.

_I haven't met with the Knights for some time now. They have no idea of what happened to Snoke. Should I tell them the truth? Perhaps it's time for everyone to know I killed him. Might make them fear me more. It's possible that… what… _

A familiar presence…

_Already? _

And a familiar voice.

_Why is she talking to me again? _

"Hello, Ben…" Rey says.

"I told you what would happen if I saw you again" Ren responds.

"I don't know what to do… or who to talk to…" Rey says. There are tears in her eyes.

"That's why you talk to me, just to project your own feelings?" Ren asks, challengingly.

"They expect me to save the galaxy and I can't!" she says. She's trying to manipulate him, but her deception is resonating dangerously close with what she genuinely feels.

"Of course you can't. You're nothing. No one. I gave you a chance. Trying to save the galaxy coming from the bottom and on your own? You have nothing. You know who has power to change things? The Supreme Leader of the First Order" he says, with an air of confidence and command. Rey knows the First Order is known for cruelty. It's wrong to be a part of it. This is all just to trick Ren. But then again, doesn't he have a point with what he said?

"They've sent me out in the Falcon," Rey continues, "to look for some old Jedi Master in hiding" she lies.

_This doesn't feel right. She must be trying to fool me… But this Jedi Master she mentions… it could be the man who keeps reaching out to me. _

"You know of him? He's reached out to me" Ren says, playing along, but also suspicious.

_Is he trying to trick me as well? Or is there a Jedi Master out there I'm unaware of?_

"I don't know much. All I know is there's a Jedi Master somewhere out there. Do you know how I could find him?" Rey asks.

_She's all over the place. It's a lie. It has to be. _

"Come to me. We'll find him together" Ren says.

_He's got me. No way would he jump to this so quickly… But he's playing along. And, for some reason… I think this could still very much work. _

"Where are you?" Rey asks.

_She's not an idiot. She was trying to trick me and now she knows I was turning it on her, but she's playing along anyway… Fine… In the worst case scenario, I'll finally kill her. _

"A Star Destroyer next to Hessah. There are four of them in here. The one farthest from the planet. You'll find me there" Ren responds.

"I'll be there soon" Rey says.

"And I'll be waiting…" Ren concludes, and the conversation ends. Rey opens her eyes. She's sitting down in a meditative position in the floor of the Falcon.

_That is not how I expected this to go down. I guess he knows all I wanted was to locate him, but he's okay with it, which probably means he wants me to find him. That should be a bad sign, but it's the safest bet for our mission, still… right? Is this genuine? Or is that me still hoping he will turn for some reason? _

"We have to go to Hessah" Rey says as she enters the cabin.

"All right. Let's do it then. Here goes nothing" Poe responds, half-enthusiastically. Finn and Rose smile. An adventure is incoming, but with it, danger. And then, they enter hyperspeed.

"Okay… what's our plan?" Poe asks.

"The database must be on the lower levels of any Star Destroyer. Especially now with Starkiller Base gone" Finn plots, "So, we… enter the hangar… wait, they'll attack us once they see us".

"They won't. Ren is waiting for me…" Rey assures. Some time later, over on the Destroyer, matters get more complicated.

"Sir, the Knights have arrived" an admiral notifies Ren.

"Good" he responds, turning around and walking off to an elevator nearby.

Ren walks out to the hangar, and eight mysterious warriors walk out of the small shuttle. It's a small, dark ship with reddish glow, and the warriors are dressed in a similar color scheme, with their skin fully covered. Upon seeing Kylo Ren, they all put their left hand on their chest and do a small reverence. Kylo Ren does a similar salute.

"I need a new mask. As soon as possible," he says, "But there are far more pressing matters. Follow me". Kylo Ren leads the silent group to a small chamber with a round table in it. The eight men sit down, and Kylo remains standing up.

"There has been an awakening, somewhere. Did you feel it?" Kylo Ren asks the group.

"Where's Snoke?" one Knight asks.

"Dead" Ren responds, "That's all that matters. I'm the Supreme Leader now". The Knights nod subtly in agreement.

"What do we do?" another Knight asks.

"There's a strong Force user out there. He reached out to me and knew who I was, and I don't even know him. I need you to help me locate him" Kylo Ren explains, "And possibly kill him, as well".

They nod in agreement once more.

"I fear the First Order turning against me. I'm in danger constantly. There must be a way to keep them all in check" Ren confesses, "And…" he stops. He feels something.

_She's coming._

The Falcon approaches the Destroyers. An admiral talks to Kylo Ren through the intercom.

"Supreme Leader. The Millennium Falcon is nearby. Confirming earlier orders: do we hold back on shooting?"

"Correct. I have pending business. Let them enter the hangar," Kylo Ren orders into his intercom. The Knights listen carefully. Kylo turns to them, "Follow me to the hangar. There is something else to deal with". The Knights stand up, and follow their Master silently all the way to the nearest elevator. Inside the elevator, Kylo Ren explains briefly.

"We will meet a girl down there. A scavenger. She trained with Skywalker as well, recently. You will not kill her" he orders.

"Why is that?" a Knight asks, "And why is this the first we hear of her?".

"Once we're done with this, I'll tell you. A lot has happened, recently" Kylo Ren says. The elevator opens its doors, leading to the hangar. Kylo Ren and the Knights walk out, and the Falcon waits for him. Almost a hundred Stormtroopers stand in guarding position in front of it.


	10. Inside the Star Destroyer

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 10: "Inside the Star Destroyer" **

"So, what's our plan?" Poe asked as he arrived to sit down beside the other three Rebel heroes on the Falcon's main area, while the ship flew through hyperspace.

Rey pulled out a lightsaber. It wasn't Luke's.

"Where'd you get that?" Finn asked.

"Leia gave it to me before we left," Rey responded, looking at the saber like it were a monument to honor, "Shortly after the fall of the Empire, Luke trained Leia with it briefly, but with politics, her mind and her heart were elsewhere. She knew I'd face Ren when I came here…".

"What happened to Luke's?" Finn asked Rey, remembering one time he held that lightsaber in his hands, to fight Ren himself.

"Ben and I broke it. The pieces are back in the camp, but it's broken" Rey explained. She then pulled out a blueprint of a handmade First Order Star Destroyer "I will drop you on an escape pod here, on the upper level, where you say…" Rey pointed to Finn, "You would be close to the database…".

"You're all welcome for the blueprint, by the way. My memory surprises me" Finn added, trying to bring some light back to this crazy situation they've gotten into.

"And how can you be sure we'll land exactly there?" Poe asked Rey, worried, "It's a dumb escape pod".

"If I focus, I can move it with the Force, so it lands where we need it to land," Rey responded, "Plus, that way they won't detect it as a ship, so you will go undetected".

"And once we're there, we use this lightsaber to cut a hole through, for us to enter," Poe said, "right?"

"Yeah" Rey answered. She sounded confident, like this was the ultimate foolproof plan, but that confidence may have been a mask to hide her fear of what was now inevitable. Just a week ago, she had thought Ben Solo would come out of Kylo Ren, but it only lead to him getting mad with power and becoming a greater threat. Did she love him? Did he love her?

"So… what, you're gonna talk Ren out of being a killer?" Finn asked, noticing Rey's frail mask coming off as her head filled up with thoughts.

_He killed Han Solo. He was ready to kill Luke. He's killed thousands, surely…_

"Well…" Rey began to respond.

_But I felt his lonely heart, like mine. He's just lashing out, right? He couldn't have possibly chosen to be this. How could he wake up every day and choose to be this monster?_

"I was thinking of using the lightsaber once you had entered the Destroyer" she concluded, beginning to sound less and less confident with each word, though nodding to hide her doubt.

_Use the lightsaber for what? Confronting him? Surely the last thing he needs is more violence to respond to. But what if he attacks me? He threatened to do so. _

"How are you going to get the saber?" Rose asked.

"I'll track it down and bring it to me, I guess…" Rey replied. The confidence was gone at this point. She was breaking into doubt. After all, her duty would be to distract Kylo Ren, the man she hoped would turn to the light and love her back, but ultimately didn't…

_Do I give him another chance? Do I just fight him? How could I confront him without having anything to defend myself if he lashes out? When he lashes out. I know him. He will lash out and wail his sword angrily. What then?_

It would have to be something she would figure out as it happened.

"I'll go down to the hangar with the saber and throw it at you," Poe exclaimed, thrilled to collaborate, "Finn and Rose can take care of the whole database thing, and I'll just go down in the elevator to the hangar bay level. Finn can tell me the way," he seemed legitimately trusting of the plan now, and Finn and Rose looked to be on board with it as well, "I give you the saber, you distract him. When we're done, we'll get some Stormtrooper armors, enter the Millennium Falcon, and fly off!".

"So, it's a plan?" Rey asked, still doubtful and unsure.

"Sure" Rose responded.

"It'll work" Finn said. And indeed, they had gotten into the escape pod, tight as it was on the inside, wielding Leia's old lightsaber, and had been ejected during the Falcon's flight near the Destroyer's body. Rey focused and pushed the pod to the surface, and then landed inside the hangar bay. A hundred or so Stormtroopers awaited outside, but what scared her the most continued to be facing Kylo Ren. She saw from the cockpit as he approached, with eight armored men walking behind him. He had the expression she heard so much about but had rarely seen in person. The one that seems like his head will blow up out of bottled-up rage. It was now time to face him.


	11. The Pull to the Light

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 11: "The pull to the light" **

The escape pod had landed just in place. It was somewhat dark on the inside, and the three Rebel heroes inside were very tight, forming a triangle, with them all facing toward the center, looking at each other's faces, not standing up but also not quite sitting down. Rather uncomfortably remaining still.

"All right, sword time" Poe said, as he pulled out the lightsaber awkwardly from his pocket, "Here, Finn, you've used one, I don't wanna cut any of us in half accidentally". Finn carefully turned it around and cut a circle deep into the ground.

"All right, the pod is stuck and we got a way in. I'll go first" Finn said as he slowly moved to go down the hole. His fall into the inside was a little aggressive, but he didn't quite hurt himself, "Rose, you're up".

"There I go!" Rose said as she got in position. Just then, Finn heard synchronised steps outside. Stormtroopers. Rose's fall was slower, more careful, and more deliberate.

"You know, it was a miracle when I escaped one of these ships," Poe said as he got into position, "I don't know why it sometimes seems like I want to be caught," he fell to the inside and had the safest landing, "Blaster ready for anything".

"Me too. Finn, can you do this?" Rose asked.

"I'm pretty sure I can, yeah" Finn responded. The room was big, but because of all the equipment, the actual space for people in it was rather small. One seat and one computer screen and control panel. There was very little light, and what little there was, had a reddish tone. Around the seat, there was space for about forty people standing up. And there was one sliding door opposite to the seat.

"Poe, you know what you have to do" Rose said as Finn sat down.

"Yeah…" Poe said, somewhat pumped, "wait, but what if I bump into Stormtroopers and blow my cover?"

"So, we do the usual plan?" Rose asked. They all knew what she was referring to.

"I guess so. I'll get on this side of the door," Poe said as he walked over to the left side of the door, "you on the other. We'll open it. The first Stormtrooper that walks in… we take him, ready?".

"Is it weird that we're so okay with killing one of them just because it helps make our little plot easier?" Rose asked as she got into position. Finn heard this and, though he was concentrated in the computer and trying to find the data, he also heard Rose and had a moment of introspection that felt like a lifetime. He saw himself as a kid in the Stormtrooper Academy, and all the naive children around him, all taken from their families and either tricked or forced into serving the First Order. Yes, they committed atrocities, but who's to say some of them weren't feeling what he felt before deserting? It was certainly possible. Don't they all deserve a second chance? A helping hand? Aren't their lives equally valuable and precious?

"Wait," Finn said, turning around and taking a long breath in, "We will not kill any Stormtrooper today. Do this whole thing, but just knock them out. Don't kill them. Please". He sounded very sincere. Poe and Rose looked at each other. Poe seemed uncomfortable, since this would make things logistically worse for them, but having been reminded of this idea that the Stormtroopers are also people, he was incapable of saying no. He had a conscience, a heart. Rose was essentially already trying to convince them to do this, though she also knew it would represent difficulty. She and Poe nodded. It would be difficult, but ultimately, that was something they had to do.

Finn sat back down, and Rose opened the door. They waited for about a minute, and finally, they heard steps. "Three" Poe mouthed to Rose, without making a sound. As they approached, Rose fired her blaster into the wall beside her, and instantly, the Stormtroopers noticed and accelerated their pace. "At their blasters" Rose mouthed to Poe. The three Stormtroopers arrived and walked in. In the blink of an eye, Poe closed the door, and he and Rose fired at the troopers' blasters, thus disarming them. Finn then stood up and ignited Leia's saber. The troopers were surrounded, so they got on their knees and surrendered.

"Rebel scum!" one of them said, "Whatever you're up to, it won't work".

"Well, I don't know, I believe we've already done the hardest part" Poe said, walking toward one of the troopers and taking his helmet, "I need your armor, buddy".

Back in the hangar bay, the two young souls see each other.

_Will she try once more to turn me? Could she be that much of a fool? Will I have to fight her? Perhaps bringing the Knights along was not the best idea. Surely, if I don't kill her, they will… _

Rey walks out of the Falcon and down to the hangar bay. Her eyes meet Kylo Ren's.

"… Supreme Leader…" Rey says, making a very slight reverence, for show.

"The last Jedi…" Kylo Ren says, approaching her slowly, "We meet again". Rey nods, almost not recognizing the man she sees. She opens her mouth to say something, but Kylo raises his eyebrows, indicating he's up to something, so Rey instead waits for him to speak, and he turns around to his troopers and the Knights, "We will discuss inside the Falcon. Wait for us" he orders. They both walk silently into the ship, and all the way to the main area, with the tables and the seats. Rey sits down in an attempt to invite civility, but Kylo remains standing up, looking at the ship around him.

"What?" she breaks the silence by asking.

"You know, I never got to be here, really," he says, pacing while observing, his expression being entirely different from the pained anger she saw just minutes ago, "Saw it a few times as a kid, maybe, but this is practically a new sight for me". He ends up looking in the opposite direction of where Rey is. All she can see is his back.

_Who am I talking to? Ben or Kylo? _

"This is your last chance, Rey," he says, turning around, "I know you have some kind of ulterior reason for being here" he continues, walking closer towards her, "I don't know what it is, but I know there's a reason. You can't play me like that".

"I know you're aware," Rey responds, trying to settle things, perhaps calm him down, "And you know that I know, and so on… No one's outsmarting anyone in here"

"The throne is yours if you want it… alongside me" he says, genuinely meaning it, as he extends his hand like he did after killing Snoke. It pains her. If only the throne weren't a part of the deal. If only he would give up being Kylo Ren, and change his heart…

"I don't want the throne" she answers, clenching her fists, as if forcing herself not to even consider taking his hand.

"Why is that?" he asks.

"Turn back to the light, Ben. You belong here" she says.

"I was never in the light" he responds.

"Why do you choose to be like this?" she asks, her voice somewhat breaking.

"I must be this" he says.

"No. Why?" she asks, as she stands up. They are now face to face, "What are you trying to prove, and to whom?" she asks, daringly. Anger comes back to burn Kylo Ren's face again, "You can change!" she yells.

"Not everyone gets that luxury" he says. It's difficult to describe, but to Rey, he sounds like a fiery explosion waiting to happen, "This is who I am… Join me"

"Never" she responds, firmly.

"…last chance…" he utters.

"Stop pushing yourself down this path!" she finally blows up.

"Why did you come back?!" he yells.

"To destroy you!" she screams, unsure of how much of a lie that is.

Kylo pulls out his lightsaber aggressively and ignites it.

Poe walks out of the server room, closes the door behind him, finds the nearest elevator, and enters. In his hand, he holds his blaster, and in his belt, he hides Leia's saber. He descends alone in the elevator.

"Seems easy enough" Poe says to himself.

The elevator opens and four Stormtroopers walk in. Poe nervously nods at them.

"You know what's going on down there?" one of them asks.

"Ren is in the hangar with the Jedi girl" another one responds.

"I could swear there were like six Rens last time I was in the hangar bay" a third one adds.

"…yeah…" Poe says, awkwardly.

The elevator opens and the four troopers walk out, followed closely by Poe. They move in synchrony toward the hangar bay. Poe grows tired of their slow pace.

Rey's survival instinct comes to her and she pushes Kylo Ren with the Force to the wall of the Falcon. Rey takes the chance and rushes out before he can stand up again.

"Come on, Poe" Rey says to herself as she runs, lifting her arm as if trying to summon something to her hand. The saber flies off out of Poe's hand, and launches itself to the last Jedi's grip as she's about to exit the Falcon. Knowing she will be shot at once she shows her face, Poe decides to create a distraction, so he quickly aims and shoots at one of the Knights of Ren's back, causing him to fall to the ground. Everyone in the hangar turns to see what happened, and, in the blink of an eye, some Stormtroopers aim at the Knights, others aim at their former troopers, and Rey exits the ship, igniting the saber. Some of the troops turn to look and shoot at her, but then, Kylo Ren exits the ship as well, and, wanting Rey for himself, he Force-pushes every single person in the hangar bay, causing them all to fall.

"Nobody touches her! She's mine!" the Supreme Leader commands. He then slashes at Rey, who blocks the strike, and a battle ensues. One of the Stormtroopers turns to Poe.

"Is it time for protocol fifty five?" he asks. Poe has no idea what he means, but it could help create a distraction; otherwise, they might attack Rey, so he goes with it.

"Yes. It's protocol fifty five" Poe responds. The Stormtrooper turns on his intercom.

"All those on the line, protocol fifty five" he says. Many Stormtroopers stand up and aim at Kylo Ren and his Knights.

"What is this?" Poe asks. The troopers fire at the Knights, and some at Kylo Ren. Other troopers fire at these troopers they see as traitors. It's a shooting gallery.

Meanwhile, up on the control panel room, Finn continues his search. The three troopers behind them are now sitting down, with their hands tied up. Two of them are still wearing full armor. The other one is wearing black clothes.

"FN…something…" the unmasked one says, "it's you, right?" he asks Finn.

"I used to be" Finn responds.

"Why are you with them now?" the trooper asks.

"The First Order hurts people. It's wrong" Finn says, turning around slightly to look at the trooper eye to eye.

"It's in the name of order" the trooper argues.

"No, it's not. Further, even if it were, it doesn't justify slaughter, slavery, control, this whole nightmare" Finn claims, confidently, "We are not making the galaxy a better place, or taking it back to some fantasy time when it was better, it's just a fancy lie to hide all of this death and suffering and lust for power".

"Your mind's been washed by this scum" another trooper adds.

"Aren't Stormtrooper Academies made to tell you what to think?" Rose asks, turning around to face them, "And that's not brainwashing?"

"You're out of your mind!" the third trooper yells.

"Haven't you ever felt like there's something they tell you to do," Rose begins to ask while walking closer towards them, "That you know, deep down, you're not comfortable with?". The troopers just look at each other. Rose gets closer and takes the helmet off of one of them, "This is wrong," she says, as she then takes the helmet off the other one, "Try as they may, they shouldn't take away your identity. You're still people… with souls". The troopers remain quiet.

Finn turns around, "That's why we didn't kill you. We are your enemies, and yet we didn't want to kill you because it wasn't right. We see you as the people you are, even if the First Order doesn't". He turns back to the computer.

"Yeah, for the First Order, you may as well be dead at this point" Rose adds.

"I think I found the data, Rose" Finn says, "I'll export it and then we're gone".

"Do you think Poe is all right?" Rose asks.

"I hope so," Finn responds, while taking out a small disk that the computer ejects, and putting it in his pocket, "Time to go".

"Take me with you" one of the troopers says.

"What?" another trooper asks.

"They're right!" he insists, "Look, whatever we think of the First Order, we've served it for a long time. Maybe running away and having a new life isn't such a terrible idea. Let's help them escape, and then they'll help us escape".

"Do we trust him?" Rose asks Finn, quietly.

"If he had just said that he wanted to desert for noble reasons, I wouldn't trust him," Finn says, "but he went the selfish route".

"This could be how we win," Rose says, "There's good in them".

"I know…" Finn responds, smiling.


	12. Duel of the Fates

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 12: "Duel of the fates"**

In the hangar bay, some troopers fire at Kylo Ren as he angrily fights Rey. In his rage, he turns around and again Force-pushes everyone present, this time even hurling many all the way to the walls. It's a chaotic disaster.

_Is he trying to kill me? Come on, there's gotta be more to him. He can't be fully gone. _

Some of the Knights of Ren stand up and attack Stormtroopers, feeling that the First Order has turned against them and Kylo. Two of the Knights instead rush towards Rey and Kylo, and attempt to intervene in the fight.

_What do they think they're doing? I told them not to get close to her! _

Kylo Ren blocks their strikes when they approach, pushing them away.

"Get away!" he yells.

_Where are you, Finn? _

The door opens, and Finn, Rose, and the three troopers exit. Many Stormtroopers rush to the nearest elevator.

"What's going on?" Finn asks. He, Rose, and the un-armored trooper are now handcuffed, while the other two troopers are now wearing their helmets again.

"Unclear" a trooper responds, "But we must hurry".

They rush to the nearest elevator, alongside five other troopers, and an uncomfortable silence ensues.

"What's going on?" one deserting trooper asks.

"Protocol fifty five," a trooper responds, "But, as expected, not everyone is into it, and both Kylo Ren and his Knights are down there, putting up a fight". Finn and Rose look at each other, confused.

"When did Hux give the order? Our helmets haven't been reconfigured to link with the common signal" the deserting trooper says.

"It's unclear. He's not on this ship" the trooper replies, "All I do know is it's a mess down there". Now there's fear when Rose and Finn's eyes meet.

Even more Stormtroopers fire near Kylo Ren or directly at him.

_That's enough. _

Kylo Ren Force-pushes Rey to the floor, and then focuses all of his anger and lashes out at the ship itself, causing it to tremble and disfiguring it. Columns and walls fall over. TIE fighters are hurled uncontrollably. Even sections of the floor tear off.

"Ben, stop!" Rey yells, horrified at the violence and destruction around her. Kylo Ren turns around. He talks into his intercom.

"Knights, get into the shuttle and wait for me. I'll clear the way" he says, then turning back to face his troops and Force-pushing everyone but the Knights. They instead hurry toward their relatively unharmed shuttle.

The Rebel heroes and the three deserters exit the elevator and walk out into the hangar bay.

"We have to go," Finn says, "Now". The five of them run toward the Falcon. Finn stops, to look for his friend, "Poe! Where are you?". The troops stand back up, but suddenly they're pushed back down. Kylo Ren is ominously walking toward Finn.

"FN-2187" he says, "We meet again…". Finn remembers. Ren has always felt hatred towards him, despite not knowing him. After all, he let his heart pull him out of the darkness, which for Kylo Ren is unthinkable, and certainly a betrayal of sorts, "…traitor".

"Ren!" Hux's voice yells over Kylo Ren's intercom, "What's happening?!"

"You tell me," Kylo Ren says, "If you think I don't-" his threat is interrupted when one of the deserting troopers walks back to the hangar bay and fires at him. The Falcon's cockpit lights up, and Rose and Poe are already in it. Finn runs faster than ever before and enters the ship, which ignites its engines to fly off. Kylo Ren recovers and lifts his hand to possess the Falcon with the Force. Some of the troopers in the hangar get back up and fire at Kylo. He blocks some of the blasts with his saber, but takes many others with his own body. He must not let the Falcon go. And then, Rey runs towards him and swings Leia's saber at Kylo Ren's ribs. He blocks it, but, in doing so, he lets go of the Falcon.

_One last chance. He must come to his senses. _

Rey turns off her saber and closes her eyes, fully exposed to Kylo Ren's rage. He prepares to swing his saber but stops mid-air.

_What's happening? Finish this!_

The blaster underneath the Falcon, commanded by Finn, turns and fires at Kylo, hurling him back a long way. Rey opens her eyes, runs off, jumps into the Falcon's still-opened boarding ramp, and gets into the ship. The last thing she sees is Kylo Ren barely getting up, as Stormtroopers keep firing at him and he strugglingly blocks their blasts or Force-pushes them away. The Rebels have successfully escaped, but what will happen to him? Wasn't she ultimately right? At the end of the day, he had the chance to kill her and didn't do it.

But things are not yet over in the Star Destroyer. The Knights' shuttle ignites its engines and fires at the Stormtroopers, allowing Kylo Ren to stand up and limp his way to it. But before that, he makes one final act. He focuses harder than ever before and feels the engines of the Star Destroyer, feels its very power, and with his mind crushes the sources of electricity. With his last breaths before passing out, he feels himself being carried by two of the Knights into the shuttle.


	13. The Men Beneath the Masks

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 13: "The Men Beneath the Masks" **

Rey sits down in the main area of the Falcon, in one of the seats, and suddenly notices the three unmasked Stormtroopers sitting in front of her, all of them exhausted.

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure…" Rey says, nervously, unsure of what the situation is, but trusting that her friends are aware of it.

"All right, we have officially entered hyperspace," Rose says as she walks in from the cabin, "We are safe". She notices Rey's confusion, "Oh, I guess we didn't tell you. They decided to desert".

"So, you're joining us?" Rey asks them, extending her hand at them.

"Hah, no. Not at all" one of them says, "We just escaped from the First Order. We turn against them, we're dead".

"We're out of hyperspace!" Poe yells from the cockpit, "I'm not sure where exactly, but there are no Star Destroyers around!"

"Great job, Poe!" Rose screams, then turns to the troopers again, "And if there weren't a risk, would you join us?" she asks, trying to lead him to realize the moral reasons for deserting.

"I wouldn't count on that" another trooper responds.

"Worth a shot" Rose tells Rey, then going to sit down beside her, "What do we call you?"

"I'm CD-2005" one of them says.

"TR-9136"

"WA-0251"

"Well," Finn says as he walks into the main area, "I was FN-2187 and now I'm Finn. The First Order gave you those names because you're not people to them. You are free to choose what you want to be called". He then sits down perpendicular to Rey and Rose, "So, time to decide where we're going first" he says.

"So Finn, huh?" CD-2005 asks. Finn looks back at him and nods in agreement, "Finn… F, N… C, D…" CD looks reflective, and finally he comes up with an idea, "Cade? You like Cade?"

"I like it" Rose answers. Rey nods in agreement, while smiling.

"It's pretty good" Finn says, "I'm proud of you for taking this step".

"I'll be Waldenhur" former Stormtrooper WA-0251 says, looking happy about his decision.

"And I'm Terr" the last one comments, "Good to meet you all".

"This is good" Rose tells them, enthusiastically, "It's the first step toward figuring out who you really are". The three clones look at each other, all seeming proud. Waldenhur pats his friends on their shoulders. Finn sees a version of himself he barely recognizes: the opportunistic coward who was just happy to have a life outside of the First Order's rigid control. Rose also sees the old Finn in them, but to her, though they're far from being Rebels, they're already on the right path. Rey is glad they could be saved from the claws of the First Order, but can't help thinking of Ben Solo. Did he choose to be Kylo Ren? Or was he also turned into a monster? Is he, like the people in front of her, at the end of the day another victim? If so, what does that mean for his path? Galaxies away, her questions are about to be answered.

Kylo Ren opens his eyes. He's sitting down, surrounded by eight trusted warriors. His face is visibly wounded, and he can't breath properly, but he's now regained conscience, at least. The ship is unusual in its design. There's no glass to see what's in the front. Rather, only the two Knights in the piloting seats can see what's ahead and around.

"Where are we going? Are we out of their reach?" he asks.

"We are far from that Destroyer, yes," one of the Knights says, "And we're going after General Hux".

"Smart. Surely, he's behind all of this. He must've arranged some sort of coup" Kylo Ren theorizes. He then takes time to feel his hands, and every bone in his fingers hurts when he flexes them.

"Who's the girl, Kylo?" a Knight asks.

"No one" Kylo Ren responds.

"You command us not to touch her. You attack us when we try to help you. Who is she, Kylo?" he insists.

"Just a girl. She wants me to turn to the light" Kylo responds, cryptically.

"You could've killed her, you had your shot. Why didn't you?" the Knight further interrogates.

"I'm feeling threatened by these questions, Flurr," Kylo says.

"We'll be arriving soon. We cannot compromise our relationship with the First Order. With Snoke, we were safe, but it's clear that they don't see you the way they saw him" Flurr comments.

"We kill Hux and one of you takes his place in charge of the military side. Anything else, we figure it out later" Kylo Ren plots.

_Where are we going? How did they find Hux? _

"We were hoping you'd be asleep a while longer" another Knight mentions.

"Did you, now, Norret?" Kylo Ren asks, pretending to find it casually interesting, but really trying to decipher what's really going on.

"So you'd be recovered, healed", Norret adds, "Ready for battle".

"And where will this battle take place?" Kylo asks.

"We will be arriving soon" another Knight replies.

"That's an answer to a different question, Meorb. Tell me a name, at least" Kylo Ren demands.

_I grew up alongside these men, but I can't trust them. What's happening? _

"Can I look at the screen?" Kylo adds after a brief, uncomfortable silence. He undoes his belts and tries to stand up, almost tripping and falling, but just barely stopping himself by holding on to a Knight's seat. The Knights that aren't piloting the ship stand up one by one and approach Kylo.

"I can hold myself" he says, "I can stand".

_This is wrong. _

Two Knights hold Kylo's arms, while another one punches him right in the face. Another one opens the boarding ramp, and all that can be seen below is a grey, stormy desert, with wild winds blowing.

"What is this?! Traitors!" Kylo Ren yells, powerless.

"Killed Snoke. Attacks his students. Lies to them. Puts us at odds with the First Order," Flurr mouths. He then kicks Kylo in the stomach. "He called to us. This mysterious new Force user. He's wise. He's powerful. We see in him a new Snoke, and the potential for a renewed alliance with the First Order," Flurr throws one last punch, "You are a liability now. You are no longer our master". In the stroke of a thunder, the Knights let go of Kylo, move out of the way, and Norret steps forward to kick his former master into the storm. The last thing they hear is a scream of pain. Kylo Ren is seemingly gone.


	14. The Pillars of the First Order

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

Chapter 14: "The Pillars of the First Order"

Finn was holding in his hand a small device that read the disk they retrieved from the First Order, with data about its presence over the galaxy.

"No. We just escaped the First Order," Waldenhur said, "No way are we now going to a planet that is controlled by them!".

"Remind you of anyone?" Rey snarkily asks Finn, hinting at their own history together.

"The irony isn't lost on me," Finn responds, "Thank you, Rey".

"Look," Cade explains, acting like an experienced negotiator, "We want to escape this conflict, but we get it, you helped us escape, you may expect a favor in return".

"Yeah?" Rose replies, unsure of what the deserter is getting at.

"That won't happen" Cade concludes.

"No. Look," Rose says, getting serious, "You can't fly this ship. You're not pilots. Even if you were, we could easily disable it for unidentified subjects, and you'd have no way out. You're coming with us. We'll compromise. We'll go to a planet with little First Order presence and overthrow them. We win and you're not in danger. Chances are, either you get your own ship and fly off to make new lives, or, if you don't find a ship, you make your new lives down there"

"This is the middle ground," Finn adds, "Just agree to it".

"All right," Cade says, "You win".

"Get some rest," Finn says to the three deserters. He then turns to Rey and Rose, "You too. We're gonna need it. I'll find where we can go to". The deserters stand up and walk elsewhere. Rey and Rose pull blankets out of compartments around them. Finn walks over to the cockpit.

"Hey, man" he says to Poe.

"Hey. Where is everybody?" Poe says.

"Going to sleep" Finn responds, as he sits down beside Poe and gets comfortable, "A much-needed rest". Poe has a natural follow-up question.

"Why aren't you resting?" he asks Finn.

"You're in here all alone," Finn explains, "I wanna be with my buddy. Plus, somehow you have to stay awake until we're somewhere safe" he says. Poe laughs.

"Actually, I'm glad, I guess, that we have this chance to talk just the two of us…" Poe says. He then remains quiet, looking stressed and anxious.

"Poe?" Finn says, hoping for some kind of followup.

"Yeah…" Poe responds.

"What's going on, man?" Finn asks, looking for an answer.

"When they trained you… the First Order… was it purely physical? Did they also make you believe in everything they stood for? I don't…" Poe begins to say.

"They made us buy into that, of course. If they believe in what you stand for, they'll fight alongside you" Finn responds, "Why, what's going on?" Poe remains quiet, looking at the front, at the shining hyperspace, and not at his friend.

"Is there any part of it that you still believe in? I mean…" Poe tries to explain, but is having trouble externalizing his anxieties, "We all know they're bad and we hate them, but… like the Empire, they got to power for a reason, and it wasn't just a military reason. People must believe in at least some of what they stand for. You know, even if we could kill all of them somehow, even if it was for some reason okay to kill them, which there isn't, I know…" Poe is confused by his own words, "… I fear that, even if we can literally destroy the First Order, they may easily come back because a lot of people still believe in the things they stand for… I guess that's what Rose was trying to tell me the other day"

"So, what you wanted to tell me was that we have to find a smarter way to fight the First Order… a more definitive way to beat them… one that actually accounts for why it exists in the first place" Finn concludes.

"Yeah" Poe says, hiding the truth in his lips.

"And Rose… the person who insisted that we should find a smarter way to fight the First Order, couldn't hear this?" Finn asks, genuinely baffled.

"Well, no. See, I… it's more of something… you know how even if we all hate the First Order, we're still, even me sometimes, practicing their discrimination against droids? We all know it's one of their core beliefs, and yet we still do it… weird, right?" Poe asks Finn.

"I guess it is hypocritical…" Finn says, attempting to understand his friend, "That's your worry? I mean, we should work on that, but I still don't get why Rose couldn't hear this. Does she hate droids? That's never come up" Finn says.

Poe contemplates what he wants to say, and tastes it again before making up his mind to reveal it to his best friend, "… what if you found out I was a droid? Would you treat me differently, buddy? Would everyone else treat me differently?" he asks. He appears to be in pain, burning up inside.

"That's an oddly specific question" Finn says, worried about his friend. Clearly, despite how much Poe has been talking, he hasn't yet said what he intends to say, "No, I would not change the way I treat you, man" Finn responds, assuredly. Poe sighs, both in relief and in worry. Finn still wonders what Poe was anxious about. There's a brief silence, which is interrupted by BB-8 making a sound.

"Hey, buddy, haven't seen you in a while!" Poe says, "Where were you when we were in the Star Destroyer? Wasn't Rey in here with Kylo Ren?" BB responds with a cryptic sound, "Well, electrocuting him, maybe, not hiding. I don't know". Finn chuckles and pulls out the disk reader to decide where they're going.

"Let's see…" Finn says, looking at the disk-reader's screen, "There's data here that shows me visually how much of a presence the First Order has on… well, many, many planets", he scrolls through the screen, "Look, there's the Gner system. They just recently started to take control of it, so there's very little presence there," Finn keeps searching.

"Don't you think we should go somewhere they're…" Poe wonders, "I don't know, somewhere they've already been in for a while? You know, makes it harder, will be bigger news if they break free" he proposes.

"So the criteria are not having too much of a presence, but having had that presence for some time now?" Finn asks, just to make sure, and Poe nods, "Sounds pretty good. There are a few of those, I'm sure, let me just cross-reference with statistics about longevity".

Poe lies back onto his seat. They just got out of a tough, life-threatening situation and are already about to ride into another one.

"Hey, do you think we'll live?" Poe asks. The ship flies slowly, and Poe contemplates the stars around them. There's a lot of galaxy out there, "Past the war, I mean… You think we'll live to see the galaxy we're fighting to save?"

"I certainly hope so," Finn responds, while searching and mouthing to himself the names of each planet and system he reads.

"I feel like there are parts of ourselves we've just…" Poe says, his sight still lost to the endless beauty before him, "… I don't know, parts we've kept inside that I'd love to explore if we're ever past this conflict". Some things, however, he can't just talk about out loud. The two thus sit quietly for some time, one of them daydreaming in secret and the other one still searching. Finally, Finn has an answer.

"The Fegwet system," Finn says, as Poe snaps out, "Occupied for roughly ten years now, but largely sidelined because it means relatively little to them. They get materials to make the solar panels in TIE fighters, but it's just one of dozens of systems that provides them".

"Alright," Poe says, "Fegwet then. Here we go…" he has the ship enter hyperspeed, and they fly off into their fate. Moments later, it exits hyperspace near a small planet with a few moons surrounding it.

"All right, so we'll land," Poe proposes to Finn, "and then we'll rest because I have not slept in… I don't know how long". The Falcon enters the atmosphere. The planet is a steamy valley filled with lakes and mountains, all of it in blue-ish tones. There are urban regions spread across the atmosphere, only interrupted by lakes and large, oddly-shaped mountains and formations.

"I'd heard of this planet when I was growing up," Poe says, looking out the cockpit to see the landscape, "The lakes run through everywhere. They are literally all connected to each other. It's an interesting thing" he keeps explaining, excitedly. Finn listens, somewhat taken by surprise but interested, "See, the rocks, the land, all of this, it really needs water nearby to flourish. Of course, for the First Order, they allow this because it's that material that they use for the panels, but it really is beautiful. Every drop of water is connected, it's… harmonical, I'd say".

"Well, I'd heard nothing of this place" Finn adds, "So I've got nothing to impress you, but, well, you impressed me".

"We'll land in here. The trees will hide the ship" Poe says, as he operates the Falcon to stop and land.

"I'm surprised we got this far without getting attacked" Finn admits, relaxing and laying back in his seat.

"Well, let's not get too confident about it" Poe says, concerned, while shutting off the engines, "We'll give them a few hours of sleep. Then, we're all set".


	15. Love in Times of War

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 15: "Love in Times of War" **

"And that time, I didn't get away without a scratch," Poe concludes his story, "But at least my head was still in place".

"Good story," Finn says, "I guess it's my turn… a Stormtrooper story…" he looks to the distance, searching inside his own memory, "Man, it's hard to think of one that isn't depressing…". Poe waits for his friend to talk, but his mind wanders off.

"Hey, so… you and Rose, huh?" he asks Finn, lifting his eyebrows seductively. Finn comes back to the present.

"Oh, yeah, uh," Finn stutters, "I don't know if there's even a place for love in this war… or any war".

"Well, I think Leia once said something like "With enough love, wars would never happen", but…" Poe drifts off, "Who knows?".

Rey suddenly emerges from behind them, looking much more energetic again.

"I think we should get moving soon" Rey says, laying her hands on her friends' shoulders. A few minutes later, Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, Cade, Waldenhur, and Terr exit the ship in bulky clothing. BB-8 is inside Finn's backpack.

"It's so humid and cold in here," Terr says, "I think we'll stay to guard the ship".

"Oh, come on!" Finn utters, throwing his hands up in the air. Surely, he knew they would react like this.

"It can't be taken away," Poe tells them, "we blocked it". Rey senses something.

"I feel…" she says, only to be interrupted by a Stormtrooper.

"Hands up, Rebel scum!" the voice echoes. From the shadowy surrounding woods and fog, an army of Stormtroopers walks out.

"Oh, this has to be a twisted joke," Rey exclaims, preparing to grab the lightsaber on her waist, as she slowly takes a few steps back, making the whole group retreat back toward the Falcon's ramp.

"Rey…" Poe says, "What's the plan here? Can you take on all of them?"

"If only we'd kept on the armors!" Terr says.

_What to do? Fight them? I don't want them to die, but it would be impossible to disarm all of them at the same time. What to do? What would Luke do? Come on, think! If I can't save a handful of Rebels, how could I save the whole galaxy? _

"Uh…" Rey whispers, nervously, still backing away.

"Hands up, I said!" the high-rank Stormtrooper repeats, as the troops get closer to the Falcon.

_If we fight, it will only result in either them or us dying… or both… _

_Maybe fighting isn't the way here. _

"S-Stand down," Rey stutters to her friends. Then she turns to the troops in front of them, "We will not fight you. We don't want violence or death!"

"What are you saying?!" Finn asks, completely terrified by what Rey just said, "We're dead meat!"

"Are you messing with us?" the high-rank Stormtrooper asks, daringly.

"Look, we're here," Rey claims, no longer holding on to Leia's saber, "There's nothing we can do to help the Rebels if we stay here alive".

"But you could escape if you were alive," he responds, "If you're dead, you won't cause trouble".

"If you order your troops to fire, we will fight back, and many of them will die," Rey says, more confidently, "Those will be unnecessary deaths. If your troops do not fight, we won't either," she concludes to him. Then, she walks away from the Rebels and closer to the troopers; some of them walk back in fear, "Listen to me! You don't have to die today! Do not fight us!"

"Petty Rebel!" the high-rank trooper howls, "This is the cheapest of tricks!"

"The First Order controls you through fear!" Rey tells the troops.

"You speak of fear after threatening to kill them if they fire," the trooper adds, "Hypocrite!"

The Rebels and the former troopers only gaze at each other, anxiously.

_This isn't gonna work… But there has to be another way, still. _

"We will not kill you if you fight us," Rey yells, "The First Order may not care about your lives, but we do!" she continues, while looking back at her friends and nodding, nervously. She then clenches her fists.

_I can do this. _

"Fire!" the trooper orders.

"Run!" Rey yells at her friends. As she does, she concentrates as hard as possible on feeling every single Stormtrooper present. She feels their warm blood flowing. She feels their muscles moving. She feels their hands. Some feel fear. Others feel anger. And still others seem to feel shame in what they do. Regret, even. Finally, she feels their blasters. That's what she was looking for. Nothing else exists at that moment. Rey feels every single blaster on her hand, and with a quick and graceful swing, she pulls them out of the troopers' hands, leaving all of them unarmed. The blasters are thrown aggressively back into the woods. Most of the troopers are shocked. Some very quickly turn back and rush to find their weapons again. And, movingly, some are thankful that they've lost their weapon and the violence has been averted. Rey comes back to herself, and sees her friends running madly towards her.

"Come on!" Poe yells. Rey recovers her conscience and takes one last look at a Stormtrooper that's still in awe of what happened. She nods slightly. This was a trooper who was prepared to die trying to kill these Rebels, but whose life had now been saved by an act of rebellion. Rey then turns away and runs after her friends into the woods. The seven warriors run into the foggy forest and disappear.


	16. The Seeds of the FO & the seeds of

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 16: "The seeds of the First Order and the seeds of the Rebellion"**

A long time ago in the distant planet of Bellhier, a kid woke up. This was a tropical planet with hundreds of volcanoes spread throughout its surface. At this age, the kid wasn't allowed to have a name. He was simply FN-2187. Many years later, he would become a Rebel hero, but back then, he was simply being trained to become a Stormtrooper. He was young enough not to have lived the moment in which Bellhier was invaded by the First Order to establish this academy. Eight years old. The first thing he had to do was get in line alongside other kids his age, and recite the First Order's creed.

"To bring order and purity to every galaxy that is known. To battle the hate and oppression against our kind. To jump into battle and fight for the cause to our last breath. To remain loyal to the First Order no matter the cost. Long live order. Long live loyalty. Long live strength. Long live the supreme species and long live the Supreme Leader" the kids said in synchrony, following the word of a caped Stormtrooper standing in front of them. He then ordered them to complete a series of physically demanding exercises over the course of one hour.

Periodically, ships would fly over the academy camp, playing a recording that said "Long live the First Order".

On the lunch break, giant screens on the dinner area would play footage of the First Order invading the Vawn system, with a voiceover championing the troopers' efforts.

"Just recently, the Vawn system had approved an act that made it imperative for people of other species to have housing and education. The supreme species ends up being affected negatively in both aspects, all because of a senseless need to break the established order and conspire against us," FN-2187 saw the screens as he ate alongside other children, "But the First Order decided recently to intervene to put matters back how they're supposed to be. The ineffectual New Republic is a useless, dangerous structure that is destined to doom the galaxy. The First Order must be strong and resilient. We must do anything in our power to make this galaxy work well once more".

Years later, the First Order was still doing anything in its power to make the galaxy work according to its own rules, but the Rebellion would not give up. A team of four brave Rebels, accompanied by three deserting Stormtroopers, was now about to take their next step: awakening the Rebellion in the Fegwet system. They were just arriving to a populated region, still in hiding, as the Sun came out.

"So, now what?" Poe asks.

"We ask," Rey responds, "I suppose". The seven approach a crowded market. Rey sees a hooded stranger and walks towards him.

"Excuse me," she says, "Do you know if there are Rebels in here?"

The stranger looks at Rey, and then at the six people behind her right in their eyes.

"Yes, there are," he responds, "If not, then who killed my daughter?"

"I'm s-" Rey is pushed aside by the stranger before she can talk, "Hey, excuse me!"

"It's all right, Rey," Finn says, "If the first person we bumped into knows of a Rebellion, then surely it won't be too hard to find others in the know" he rationalizes.

"And they say Stormtroopers aren't smart," Cade remarks, smugly, patting Finn on the shoulder. Finn looks back at him, rolling his eyes. Rey connects dots inside her head.

"Feelings," she mouths to herself, "That's it!" she tells Finn. Then, she sits down, still amidst the crowd. Her partners are taken aback by this.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Poe says, "If somebody walks over you, I'm afraid that would be just a tad too symbolic for me".

Rey touches the ground, and everything around her stops. She feels everyone around her, and the emotions inside them. Rey reaches out farther, searching for whoever might lead them to the Rebellion.

"You stay here alongside her," Poe tells the three recently deserting Stormtroopers, pointing to Rey, "We'll keep asking".

"Alright," Terr responds. Poe, Finn and Rose go on to ask everyone present about whether there is a Rebellion, and if there is, where they could find it.

"I don't know," one responds, clearly lying.

"Not worth your time, son," another stranger replies.

"You don't wanna follow that path," yet another one advises.

Rey senses rage, regret, pain, despair, loss. A world of broken spirits, but nothing clear. She opens her eyes again, with a look of disappointment on her face. She stands up as Cade, Terr, and Waldenhur turn to look at her. The four of them thus also turn to the task of asking people directly, and yet again, there are only cryptic answers, obvious lies, discouragement, silence, ignorance, and apathy. A lost cause, apparently. Sunset comes and the travelling Rebels find a small cave near the urban region, where they set a fireplace and make a circle around it. Everyone pulls out blankets from their backpacks. Everyone but Rey lies down as if they're about to sleep. She just sits down, uneasy.

"Your powers didn't work," Finn tells Rey, "did they?"

"Something terrible must have happened here," Rey says, her eyes lost, "I felt everything so… stagnated… so cloudy and… unmoving… and all that I felt was darkness, mourning…".

"I can't believe how unlucky we were today," Rose says, "Why are things like this?"

"Maybe there just isn't a Rebellion here," Cade hypothesizes, "right? It's possible".

Finn and Rose look at each other with sadness. Perhaps the Rebellion isn't as powerful as they thought. Rey seems distraught, but suddenly she flinches, noticing something nearby.

"Rey?" Poe asks, "What's going on?"

Rey turns around, as a young woman walks out of the shadows and into the flame's light.

"Hello," she says, timidly. She wears a thick, dirty dark hooded jacket for the cold, and takes off the large hood as she approaches, revealing short brown hair and nervously sweaty, dark orange skin. Her face is slightly scarred.

"Hi…" Rey responds, "Who are you?"

"Are you okay?" Rose asks.

"Yeah," the mysterious youth replies, "My name is Viera, I'm a native. I don't think you guys are".

"Are you armed?" Poe asks.

"Not exactly," she responds, as she pulls out a small hilt, which she clicks, projecting a holographic shield that covers the size of her face, "It's good to protect myself".

"Come sit down," Rey says, "it's okay". Viera nervously sits down alongside Rey on one side and Poe on the other. Everyone remains quiet for a few seconds.

"Can we ask why you're here?" Rey inquires.

"I was told someone was asking about the Rebellion today," she responds, while taking off her gloves to heat up her hands with the fire, "Like, stupidly insisting on where they could find the Rebellion".

"That sounds like us," Poe says.

"I was told you were last seen nearby, and you fit the descriptions I was given," Viera continues to explain, "But, anyway… the Rebellion". A smile begins to make its way to Rose's face, "It's dead here, mostly," she adds, "It was very alive years ago, but… war, right?"

Rose's smile fades, "What happened?" she asks.

"It built up for years," Viera answers, "There were thousands of them, and they honored their name… they rebelled". Everyone listens attentively, "It worked. We- they defeated the troops… but not all of the Empire was here, of course…".

"The First Order, you mean?" Poe asks.

"The Empire," she clarifies, "They had us since back then. They rebelled, the Empire came back and slaughtered them all. The Emperor died, but we were still under Imperial control in here, and then the First Order came along before we could be free and it got worse and it… it just never ended," she concludes.

"I'm so sorry," Rey says.

"Thousands died. Families were broken, destroyed, even," Viera says, "I guess Rebellion is not for us".

"So there just isn't a Rebellion anymore?" Poe asks, "None at all?"

"Well… when we heard of what happened in Crait," she responds, "All of you making it out alive against all odds… and Luke Skywalker walking out to face the First Order by himself…" her eyes get lost and she smiles, "It was really inspiring. Some friends and I got together to start a new Rebellion, but… we're not even sure of what we're doing, honestly"

"It's very brave that you're daring to fight again," Rose says, "I mean, all due respect to the people who died in here years ago and their close ones, but… we can't stop fighting, not until we're free".

"That's in very poor taste!" Cade says, almost interrupting Rose, "And very impractical… they'll just keep dying and dying, what's the point?!".

"If everybody believed that," Rose responds, "the First Order would win automatically. They only win if we stop fighting"

"You're making it easier for them!" Cade adds, "You put targets on your head. The First Order can easily kill all of its enemies. It's pointless".

"So we're just supposed to give in the whoever has the most powerful guns?" Rose asks, confrontationally.

"Again, you're just making it easier for them to know who to kill!" Cade says.

"Maybe if being a Rebel meant just going out into a battlefield and getting shot at," Poe interjects, aggressively, "But it's not about that; it's fighting smart, too".

"If the Rebellion failed all those years ago," Rose says, "It doesn't mean we should give up, it just means we have to learn and fight better". Cade rolls his eyes.

"You'll all die before you've won," Terr adds, "What's the point?"

"It's not for us," Rose responds, "It'll be great if we live to see the aftermath, but this isn't just for our own good, it's for everyone's… even Stormtroopers".

Everyone quiets down for a moment. Looks are exchanged.

"Cheap shot, but it's true," Viera says.

"Bottom line is, you live better if you just don't fight," Cade says, "To have a normal life, like we're about to have".

"But there are millions, if not more, across the galaxy, who can't have that normal life. Slavery, poverty, cruelty, violence, deportation, and yes, the Stormtrooper program," Rose argues, "And that's why we have to fight! You deserted to have a life because you know you deserve one just because you're alive!", she exclaims, passionately. Cade's expression denotes a catharsis, "Don't you wish you'd had a life in the first place? Don't you wish you could've at least chosen what kind of life you wanted? You've got no time left. What little time you can keep living before this machine, this madness kills you… it's nothing. I think deep down, you already know all of this," she points to the three former Stormtroopers, "At least you got this chance to desert. Millions can't. And yet you come here and tell us it's not worth fighting for? You don't get to do that". Cade, Terr, and Waldenhur look like children who were just scolded for stealing and trying to lie their way out of it.

"Enough for the day," Waldenhur says, as he crawls back into a comfortable position to sleep. His two friends do the same, without saying anything. The four Rebel heroes and Viera remain on an awkward silence.

"Are they Stormtroopers?" Viera breaks the silence by asking Rey, "Or Rebels?".

"They're not Stormtroopers anymore," Rey responds, "They deserted, but they're not Rebels".

"Speaking of which, though," Rose says, "Can you take us to your Rebel friends?"

"Yeah," she replies.

"Can you wait a few hours?" Poe asks, "Finn and I haven't slept in a while, we need to rest and… well, you already slept a while back, so… can you…?"

"Sure," Rey says, "Go ahead, rest". Finn and Poe get in their respective positions looking away from the fire. Rey pulls her backpack closer and reaches into it, looking for something.

"I'll sleep, too," Viera says, while laying down into some of the backpacks behind her, "if it's okay".

"Sure," Rey says, and then turns to Rose while pulling one of the Jedi texts from her backpack. Rose looks distraught, her eyes simply gazing at the fire while savoring the feelings she recently poured out, "Do you want one? I brought many along, I knew I'd need them for times like these," Rey offers as she pulls out another book from the backpack.

"Actually, I think I'll rest for a while," she responds, as she comes back to the tangible world, "Who knows what we might get into once we're with the Rebels", she lies and covers herself with a blanket. Rey is alone once more, with the ancient Jedi teachings in her hands, and a million thoughts in the back of her head.


	17. Walking in Circles & Wearing Mantles

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. **

**Chapter 17: "Walking in Circles and Wearing Mantles"**

Some time later, Rey puts down the book.

_This whole thing is too heavy to take in on one read. So much discussion about abstract ideas and interpretations. There's value to that, sure, but… I just don't know what to do with all that knowledge. Clearly, a lot of that old philosophy has changed over time. This does not sound like the Jedi luke described. This must be much older. I need historical perspective. If only the Empire hadn't gotten rid of a lot of recorded history regarding the Jedi…_

_Why am I really reading this? What am I hoping or expecting to get out of it? My goal is to save the galaxy. This isn't what Luke would do, is it? How would reading this aid in him taking down the First Order? I mean, I guess I remember hearing that Jedi could talk to dead Jedi, but I don't think I… I'm not good enough, yet, I don't think. I must be better. Keep Luke in mind. Do as he would do._

Rey lies back, resting upon her backpack. She puts her arms behind her head, and looks up at the stars. Now, there is only the beautiful sight of a breathing galaxy and the revitalizing sound of flowing water. Deeper thoughts settle in. She thinks of Ben Solo, and how helpless and desperate he looked the last time she saw him, in the Star Destroyer. Those beautiful, broken eyes in constant pain. All he had left was the First Order, and now he was seemingly losing that, as well. Perhaps this time, with no delusions of power or expectations haunting him, he would turn. This could be how they won. Rey thus got back in a seated position, and closed her eyes to focus.

_Come on, Ben. I know there's light in you. Please turn. _

Rey reached out with her soul, as far as she could…

Nothing. Not even Ben consciously resisting it. He was just nowhere to be found.

_Ben?_

There's no response. The last time she saw him, the First Order had turned on him, and he was weak and alone, and now it was like he was gone. He was dead. It didn't matter whether he chose to turn or not, he had been robbed of the opportunity to turn. He had died. Rage fills Rey's heart. There's some guilt there, as well, and confusion. She stands up, with tears of pain and anger rolling down her cheeks, grabs Leia's lightsaber, and runs off doubtlessly.

Galaxies away, the Knights of Ren's shuttle lands inside a Star Destroyer. General Hux and a hundred Stormtroopers await. The ramp extends, and the eight Knights walk out, then getting in position, leaving a pathway open while standing in groups of four opposite each other. A scarred old man in what seems like old Jedi robes walks out. Hux looks like he was expecting someone to come out, but like the person who walked out isn't what he was expecting.

"General Armitage Hux, I presume," the mysterious man says.

"You're not…" Hux begins to say, "You're not what I was expecting…"

"It's unfortunate that I am not as big as Snoke, I know," the man says as he paces around Hux, contemplating the inside of the hangar, "But I assure you, I'm also not as blinded by power as he is. He was a fool, but the cycle must keep going".

"Wh- What cycle is this?" Hux asks, anxiously.

"Let's talk elsewhere," the man tells Hux, and then turns to the Knights, "Stay here, my Knights. Rest briefly".

Rey finds a Stormtrooper base near the urban region, where a dozen troopers guard the gates. The lights inside are on; some of them must still be awake. She looks down from a hill.

_This has all been a mistake, why even give second chances? His soul died as rotten as it was. This was pointless! There's no purpose in trying to find another way!_

Rey ignites Leia's green lightsaber, enraged. She stands atop the hill for a few moments.

_There's too many of them for me to take on right now… We'll engage tomorrow as a group, then… Yeah… I'll go back…_

Rey turns the lightsaber off and walks back to her friends. On the way, all the can do is contemplate her failure. If she couldn't save Ben, how could she save the galaxy? Eventually, she arrives. Rose is mysteriously missing. Rey looks around, confused.

"You're back!" Rose says as she arrives behind Rey, "I was hoping you'd return".

"Yeah…" Rey responds, nodding, cryptically.

"What's going on?" Rose asks.

Rey can't look at Rose in the eyes. Her mind and her heart are in complete chaos. Her eyes suddenly get wet. Her lips flinch.

"Let's sit down," Rose says, as she holds Rey's shoulder and the two sit down beside each other near the fireplace. Everyone else is asleep.

"This is all wrong…" Rey finally says, her voice breaking, "It won't work…"

"Why do you feel that way?" Rose asks.

"Ben Solo died… I can't find him… I can't feel him…" Rey almost whispers, "I thought he could be saved, but… he didn't get that chance… it's all pointless. Why give people a chance? I…".

"Rey, I understand why you feel like you failed," Rose says, "I really do, but I think even you know that the lesson to get from this isn't "This isn't worth trying" or something akin to that. It's just a little blurry at the moment to see it clearly". Rey slows down her breathing and relaxes. Rose hugs her shoulders, wrapping her up on a blanket.

"I don't know how to do this…" Rey finally says, "I have to be the new Luke and I just can't…".

"What do you mean?" Rose asks.

"Everyone expects me to save the galaxy…" Rey says, "To be the new Luke, and I… I can't…".

"Rey, I can't say I understand the pressure on you… you are the last Jedi," Rose tells her, "But you're not alone, first of all. And secondly," Rose points to herself and everyone sleeping, "I think at least we don't think you should be the new Luke… He did what he could and most of it was good, but he messed up a lot anyway. You don't have to be him. Plus, clearly, he missed some things. Did his best… but we know better and we can do better now. You can do better".

"How?" Rey asks, "I failed at saving one person!".

"Were he still alive, do you believe he could save himself?" Rose asks. Rey herself has struggled with this question basically every day since their first connections in Ahch-To. It's funny, though; now that the question is asked out loud, the answer comes to her in less than two seconds.

"Yes," she responds, confidently, "Absolutely. I refuse to believe he was beyond saving".

"Can you think of anyone who is beyond saving?" Rose asks, as she pulls out two cups from a backpack and begins to prepare a beverage. Rey stops to think about everyone she's ever met.

_Jakku sure was full of violence… some truly awful things… then again, maybe they turned that way because everyone else was violent. You can't do much when the whole galaxy tells you that acting in some way is correct, right? Well, what about the First Order? Stormtroopers? If they killed Ben, it… but Finn… those people are raised to be that way, to follow orders… they're victims as well. Finn could change. They can change too. Snoke? Totally blinded by power… perhaps he… no… take his power away and he won't have much options. I have no idea who he is, but… I don't even know, I just… I refuse to believe he doesn't have a human side…_

_My parents? I guess…_

_What they did was not good, but I don't believe they were bad. Irresponsible. Careless. Uneducated? Perhaps not taught or raised properly themselves?_

"I don't believe I've ever known anyone beyond saving," Rey says, now much more relaxed, "Just people who would be much different if we lived in a different galaxy… I seriously do not believe anyone is too far gone".

"That's very brave," Rose says, smiling proudly, as she heats up the cups over the fireplace, "And sensitive".

"Ben was robbed of an opportunity to change…" Rey contemplates.

"Then we fight to help people change!" Rose encourages, "We fight so that people can change! So that they can't be robbed of deciding their own fate".

"Is that what Luke would have done?" Rey asks Rose.

"I don't know, maybe!" Rose cheers, "But Rey, it's fine. It's a different time. It's your time. It's our time. You're Rey, not Luke Skywalker. You don't have to wear anyone's mantle or name. Your footprints don't have to fit within anyone else's…".

"And how do I carve that footstep?" Rey asks, "A few days ago, I was just a lonely scavenger who hoped to be told where to go based on… you know, my parents… And now I know I have to be my own person, but… look at me, this person that I am right now is not at all who I know myself to be".

"Well, I guess… you take a look at your own past…" Rose says, "Like, a hard, critical look at what you've done well, what you've done badly… and then decide where you want to be, and, you know… you take your steps towards that… and the footstep will make itself". Rey smiles. It's been a long night. She's still wondering who she's going to be, but at least she knows now how to do it.

"Thanks, Rose," she says.

"Sure," Rose responds, handing Rey a cup and keeping the other, "No problem".

"So instead of just taking down the First Order, we have to change the galaxy… and that's how we save it" Rey says, turning to Rose with an anxious gaze.

"I guess so…" Rose replies, "It's a gigantic task, but… I guess it's our task". Rose and Rey drink up from the cups at the same time. Meanwhile, galaxies away, a meeting takes place on General Hux's personal quarters, filled with relics, collectibles, and novelty items. Hux and the mysterious man are the only ones present. The former sits down beside a table while the latter paces around the area, seeing everything in Hux's collection.

"The First Order will persist," the man says, "Perhaps it will change its name, or, in crazy circumstances, its look and its branding, but it will go on forever. This is a historically proven matter of fact".

"Because of our strength," Hux says, attempting to guess.

"Because of the cycle. The machine," the man explains, "Everybody keeps making the same decisions. Those of us on this side keep appealing to the interests of the few in power. And those on the other side, those against us, they keep making the same mistakes, and accidentally creating their own foes or helping them. Kylo Ren was like this… but he was growing unstable. No matter. In no time, the cycle will pay off and give us a new heir to the dark side".

"The Knights promised you would be a new Snoke," Hux says, somewhat afraid, "To keep our lines in check, as they fear your power. And yet, you say I will have all the power? Is this correct?"

"I have no interest in the kind of power you desire," the man says, "It's inconsequential. It moves from one individual to another based on arbitrary factors. It means nothing to me. So I will be Snoke for everyone else, howling orders and carving the path of the First Order, simply because there needs to be a powerful Force user atop this side, but you will be the true Snoke, the true Supreme Leader. You will be the one to decide the orders I howl and the path I carve. I'm just taking the place I know is mine, in this story. Is this a fair deal for you?".

"How can I trust you?" Hux asks, doubtfully.

"Well, you have to" he says, menacingly, "They won't listen to you. They don't fear you, just like they didn't fear Kylo Ren. They will fear me".

"What should they call you?" Hux asks.

"I don't concern myself with those questions," the man says, "My name is Ducan. No haunting Sith lord name, I don't think. Supreme Leader Ducan doesn't quite intimidate…"

"I understand why you don't bother with this," Hux says, "But if they don't totally fear you, what's the point? There are millions of soldiers," he continues; his voice and body language gradually get more aggressive, "I don't care how powerful you are, if they want to fight us or leave us, they will, if they're not scared of you!"

The man retains his calm but listens to Hux.

"Only a hundred or so of them have seen me," Ducan says, "Most only know that there's a new Supreme Leader coming to power… correct?"

"Yes," Hux responds, "Why?"

"I must take my place in this… no matter what it takes," he says as he looks at his hands and clenches his fists, "My name means nothing if it doesn't serve the cycle… Let them know me as the descendant of someone whose name they respect". Hux raises his eyebrows, attempting to comprehend what Ducan says, unable to predict where he's going, "Announce me as Supreme Leader Sidious. They've heard that name and it's the role I'm taking", he concludes as he closes his eyes.

"Are you his relative?" Hux asks, still baffled.

"As far as the First Order is concerned… yes. I will do what I must to continue this cycle," Ducan says. Then, he opens his palms again, and lightning flows through his fingers. Hux sees this. Ducan then shoots lightning at his own face, screaming in pain as he does so.

"What are yo-!" Hux yells, almost falling off his chair. The lightning intensifies. Ducan's body shakes and smokes. Finally, it stops, and his face looks almost grey, and full of scars and burnt off skin. He takes a few moments to breath, and then smiles, feeling his purpose fulfilled.

"Well, Hux…" Ducan says, "You have your new Supreme Leader… This is who I am now… Ducan Palpatine… that was his real last name, and now it's mine as well… Supreme Leader Sidious…". Hux is still shocked by what he just saw, but he nods in agreement.


	18. The Word Spreads

****Fragments ****_**in itallics **_****are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.****

**Chapter 18: "The Word Spreads" **

The skyline falls apart on Coruscant. Twenty Star Destroyers surround it and, for hours, have fired on its surface, neutralizing any possible opposition. Decades ago, this was the center of the Old Republic, and now the First Order was conquering it. In the damaged remnants of the Senate Building, a hooded man uses the Force to open up a hole and make himself a giant balcony. He walks out to it, surrounded by the flames of the First Order's fiery invasion, and gently puts a wide-reaching hologram projector at his feet. Thousands of people down on the ground, wounded and running away from the ongoing chaos, look up to see the incredible feat of power.

The hooded man lifts both of his hands, and the attack halts. The Star Destroyers stop firing. The city continues to fall apart, though. The man then takes off his hood, revealing a scarred, grey face.

"Today, a new age begins…I am Supreme Leader Sidious, and I am here to take the First Order to its rightful place. Coruscant was once the capital of the Old Republic, and now, once more, after decades of history trying to find its footing again, it has taken back its place as the center of the First Order," his shape is projected all around the galaxy, as well as inside Star Destroyers. His words are heard everywhere, "To those who are with us… I applaud your brave service, and assure you that our time is just beginning," his face is projected even in warzones, as Stormtroopers annihilate people and sack villages to establish more training academies, "To those against us, I warn you… fight as hard as you can… we will fight back. We will end you," in Oldocia, Leia and a few high-rank Rebels somehow receive the message through their projectors. She shakes her head in desperation and denial.

"Sidious?" one Rebel high-rank asks.

Leia closes her eyes for a quiet moment. She focuses... then opens them again, looking crushed.

Stormtrooper RX-2005 sees the transmission while on a training session with fellow troopers. He's masked, but the confusion and wonder are evident. The session continues around him. They're on a vast, rocky field with fragile structures to simulate buildings and obstacles, practicing shooting each other in two teams. RX-2005 sits down behind a rock, leaving his blaster on the ground. His breathing intensifies. Where is Kylo Ren and what happened to him? Who is this new idol they're supposed to rally behind? Is the First Order even the First Order without Snoke? Is there a point in continuing to fight for the First Order?

Minutes later, the troopers enter the land base beside the field to shower. In the dressing room, RX-2005 remains quiet, with a look of shock, while sitting down and putting on the under-armour. Troops around him talk about mundane subjects, but then, TT-7020 says something that changes the tide.

"So, who is this guy?" TT asks, "Sidious? I didn't know the Emperor had family".

"And he shows up right after Kylo Ren's reported betrayal and execution?" trooper UB-1923 asks, as he dries his hair, "Kinda suspicious… but I hear he can literally bring down a Star Destroyer all the way to the ground… I thought Snoke could do something like that too, didn't he?".

"He looked somewhat like a hooded man I received the other day," GR-3091 comments, "Last I saw, he was talking with Hux… that guy's skin wasn't grey, though, and I think this guy's was".

"You think it's a fake?" TT asks.

"No, Hux did let us know we'd get an announcement today," BE-1779 responds.

"No, but this guy…" GR adds, "A little suspicious that some guy called Sidious who didn't initially look like him shows up at this specific time… it's been an eventful few weeks".

RX absorbs all of this information, and remains quiet, letting the conversation vanish into thin air, but just before it's too late to add anything, he speaks up.

"Who are we loyal to?" RX asks, "Who do we serve?" other troopers dressing up around them now also turn to the conversation. No one knows how to react. RX turns to look at all of them in the eyes.

"The First Order," TT says, "The creed we were taught… no matter who sits down behind us," he nods, as if asserting how obvious and natural his response is. Some troopers around him rationalize it and nod agreeingly.

"If we were ordered by Hux to kill this new guy," RX says, while standing up, "Would you do it? Hux leads our division, after all, and he's been there longer". TT opens his mouth, as if ready to respond instantly, but then realizes he doesn't know what he would do.

"Let's assume this Sidious guy doesn't have powers," GR says, "For the sake of argument".

"So we obey Hux, right?" BE proposes. Many troopers around him agree.

"Sidious tells you not to shoot him, and to shoot Hux instead," RX says, "What do you do?"

"Simple," Stormtrooper GL-5002 says, among the outer crowd, "We die. If we disobey one, he kills us. If we obey one and fail to kill the other, we're also killed. If we kill one of them and survive, we'll still die fighting for the First Order eventually, in one way or another". RX finally feels like someone understands him. Other troops remain quiet, almost feeling shame, and trying to move past the subject and go on.

"It's what we're here for," RX says, "To die as faceless gunmen with no will of our own". GL nods at him.

Galaxies away, Rey, Rose, Poe, Finn, Cade, Terr, Waldenhur, and BB-8 follow Viera through a cold, seemingly uninhabited, rocky region.

"How far are we, Viera?" Poe asks, while wiping sweat tears off his face, "I think my back is about to forget what it's like to be straight".

"We're almost there," Viera responds, looking much more relaxed and used to walking in these conditions, "Hang on".

Finn casually looks back and notices something up in the sky.

"Is that First Order?" he asks, pointing at an ascending black shuttle. The group turns to look at it.

"That looks like a messenger," Terr says, "Not too weaponized; just plays sound or images or both".

"I wonder what it'll say," Poe says, "What's happened?"

Rose turns to Rey, who seems like her heart has stopped beating in anticipation of what she's about to hear. The messenger projects the image of Ducan onto the sky, and his speech given in Coruscant is echoed.

"Sidious?" Finn yells at Poe, "Are you kidding me?!"

"No word on Ben," Rey says, exhaling. She's not sure if she's relieved or even more worried.

"What would they say about him?" Poe asks.

"Why are you asking about Kylo Ren?" Finn asks Poe, "Somehow Palpatine's returned and you're asking about him?!"

"Can't be the real deal," Cade says, looking at the ground like he's still trying to put together what he just saw and heard, "He definitely died, didn't he?".

"Maybe it's his son," Waldenhur says, "Or grandson…".

"Or someone else entirely," Rose adds, "There's no proof he's actually who he says he is".

"Hey, guys," Viera says to everyone's back turned on her. They turn to see her and also see behind her a group of six people in bulky clothing and covered faces.

"Rebels, I hope," one of them says in a woman's voice, "Right, Viera?".

"And not just any Rebels," Viera responds, "The Rebels. They know General Leia," she then holds and shakes the other Rebel's forearms, while smiling in excitement, "And Luke Skywalker!".

"Luke?" she asks, then taking off her visor and mouthpiece and kissing Viera on the lips briefly. She looks to be about Rey's size; her skin is reddish brown, and has what seem to be a few burns.

"Who's gonna tell her about Luke?" Poe whispers to Finn.

"So this is the Rebellion?" the Rebel woman asks, approaching Rey, "I'm Lyn".

"I'm Rey…" she responds, shaking her hand. Other Rebels behind Lyn take off their masks.

"I'm Jut-Ho," says the tallest man among them, a human with beige skin and a tattooed face.

"Loré," says a woman about half of Jut-Ho's size, who has a bald head and something resembling scales on her orange skin.

"Ward Junior," says a green-faced, robust man with three eyes on his face and three fingers on each of his hands, "A pleasure".

"I Kotto," says a grey, furry, short, mild-mannered man.

"And I am Ruppe," says a woman with warm brown skin, who wears several layers of clothes and carries two backpacks, "Your local translator".

"It's good to meet you, Rey…" Lyn says, "We need to talk about that", she points to the messenger ship, which is now descending back into place.

Far away, in Mustafar near what was once Darth Vader's castle, the Knights of Ren kneeled, forming a circle around the transmission of their new master. The transmission ends, and the eight warriors stand up.

"So, Kylo is dead?" Flurr asks.

"He is of no consequence anymore," Cardo responds, as he stands up, "He should be dead, but even if he isn't, there's no way he's leaving Neast". The other Knights stand up as well.

"Master Ducan won't like the uncertainty," Nima adds, scratching his forehead, "I knew this was a bad idea; I tried to warn you!" he says, pointing at his partners.

"Let's not turn against each other," Meorb intervenes, breaking the circle by walking toward its center, "Ducan doesn't hate Kylo. He was a liability as the Supreme Leader. We needed him out of the way, but if he is to come back, Ducan will understand".

"I, for one, agree," Norret says, "As long as Kylo is willing to take the place he had before betraying Snoke, Ducan will allow him to come back. Kylo becomes the Vader to Ducan's Emperor".

"That is true," Meorb concedes, "As long as it feeds into the cycle he talks so much about, I think it'll work".

"Good, so all we would need is for the Solo kid to willingly accept his place as an underling once more," Jedd adds, "Shouldn't be a problem, right?".

"If he's alive," Aldon adds, "And if he makes his way back… and if he becomes a problem… we'll deal with it".

"Agree," Meorb says, "Today is a day to celebrate. The First Order is on its way to restoring itself, and we are safely back within its lines". The Knights nod in agreement. Then, Meorb looks at Vader's castle and turns back to his partners, "It's time to pray". Slowly, the Knights form a line and walk to the inside of the castle.

Back in Fegwet, the seven Rebels welcome the seven visitors and the droid BB-8 into a moist cave. The visitors sit down on a table, while two locals bring them modest food.

"Must be hungry after so much travelling and fighting", Lyn says, as she sits down in front of them, "May I ask what brings you here?"

"It's okay, love, they're trustworthy," Viera, who's standing up near the table, intervenes, "I was with them for a while already".

"I understand," Lyn responds, then turning back to her guests, "Why are you here?"

"Hey, we just want to run away," Cade replies, before anyone else's mouth opens, "We three were Stormtroopers, and we thought we'd get out of this!" Lyn's eyes widen, feeling a hint of treason, "You can't count on these guys!" he says, pointing at Finn.

"Stormtroopers?" Lyn asks, faking a calm attitude. Every local Rebel except Viera looks concerned. Lyn quickly and silently pulls out a blaster and points at Cade's face, "What trick is this?!" Everyone is alarmed by this.

_No! That can't happen! _

"Please forgive his insol-" Finn tries to settle the situation, but before Lyn can pull the trigger, Rey pulls the blaster towards her hand, disarming the young Rebel.

"Please, Lyn," Rey says, holding on tightly to the weapon, "Do not let this man distort your idea of who we are. I implore you; listen to us…".

"They deserted, Lyn, it's true," Viera adds.

"They don't belong here, then," Lyn responds, coldly, "These people have no morals, goals, hopes, or will, I imagine. Even trying to talk to them is futile".

"Hey, look, we had this chance to escape and we want to take it," Terr says, "We know the First Order is responsible for terrible things and… well, we're a part of why… but that's why we're running. We're tired of being part of the horrors. I never even thought we'd get the chance to live!".

"Well I'm glad you were able to run away!" Lyn replies, "Some of us never get the chance to do so, and that's why we fight!"

"Fine by us!" Waldenhur yells.

"Guys, relax, please!" Poe tries to settle things down.

"This isn't even a wise decision for you three!" Lyn adds, hushing everyone else present simply with her open palms, "Surely you must know that you've gone from being a disposable, nameless gun to being a target!"

Cade stands up after a moment of silence, "I'm leaving". Terr and Waldenhur stand up as well and the three prepare to walk away.

"No, you're not," Lynda stops them. A fellow local Rebel comes back with food and gives the deserters their meals, "Eat that. Give the dishes back. Then you can leave to support the First Order with your apathy and cowardice". Looking like three scolded children, the three Stormtroopers walk away with their hands full. They sit down right outside the cave.

"I hate the way they think… but they're people," Lyn adds, "You gotta give them love even when you hate them… and hopefully some of it will rub on them… or their conscience won't let them sleep unless they feel worthy of it… or something".

"I was a Stormtrooper as well," Finn adds, "But Rose here, taught me the importance of fighting against the First Order as opposed to just running away from it… it's gonna be tough, but I know they can change".

"I don't know that," Lyn says, looking hopeless and tired, "It feels like this war has been going on forever. If they were capable of change, you'd think they would have changed already".

Rey and Rose turn to each other, thinking back to their recent, private conversation.

"Look, I agree kind of," Poe reasons with Lyn, "But it's our best shot! The First Order being torn apart from the inside! That could work".

"Rey and I talked about this," Rose adds. She'd remained quiet the whole time, "The truth is we haven't seen them change because the galaxy is kind of… stuck, we think," she turns to Rey, lifts her eyebrows, and shrugs her shoulders, "It's like… collectively, the way we live and the way we treat each other… it just creates things like the Empire and the First Order, and allows them to survive. And we're a part of the problem too… It's just that… in a galaxy where violence is so… normal… it becomes almost inevitable, instinctive, and we keep the wheel spinning".

Everyone remains quiet, but contemplative, as if thinking to their own actions and lives, and how they may be part of the larger problem.

"… I agree," Lyn says, "Though that certainly complicates things…".

"With all due respect, Lyn, I don't know where to start with this, either," Poe says, shaking his head, "This isn't at all the galaxy that I know! Or, I guess, that I thought I knew… so… I don't know how…". Rey hears this and again recalls her conversation with Rose. Something comes to mind.

"There's a way to figure out what to do," Rey says, looking inspired and hopeful, "It might be difficult but I think I know what it is".

"What's that?" Rose asks.

"I guess we take a hard look at our past…" Rey echoes Rose, "A critical look…see where we went wrong… where we didn't… decide where we want to be, and then trace our way…" Rose smiles. "But, to do that, we need to really know the history of all of this… as far back as possible… we need to study how we got to where we are… find the roots of all this, and only then will we know what we have to do".

"That's a good idea, I guess... " Lyn says, "But sounds a little tricky, doesn't it?"

"Has any of you ever done something like that?" Viera asks, gesturing at their visitors. Poe looks dumbfounded. Finn and Rey shake their heads. Rose looks deeply focused. Suddenly, she has an epiphany. .

"So we try it out here first," Rose figures out, "We do it small scale, here in Fegwet… we take down the Empire, we turn the Stormtroopers, we change the way things work in here from the top down… and if it works…" Rose takes a deep breath, "When it works… then we go out there and do it on a larger scale".


	19. A Change of Heart

****Fragments ****_**in itallics **_****are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.****

**Chapter 19: "A change of heart"**

"They have a point, don't they?" Terr asks his friends, while the three sit down and eat outside the cave.

"What, are you serious?" Waldenhur confronts him, "It's the food talking! Some cheap trick they're using to work us into joining them!".

"No, but… But it's true," Terr says, "I would've liked to have a normal life! And yet me being a Stormtrooper was robbing other people from having that opportunity… it's kinda hypocritical… I almost feel shame in trying to have something I stole from so many people".

"Your mind's playing games on you, man," Cade says, shaking his head in disappointment.

"I feel filthy," Terr insists, "We fought for years supposedly thinking the First Order did any good… that it was a just cause," he says as he leaves his plate and spoon on the ground, "Years and years fighting and ruining people's lives… and now that I've escaped, all I'm gonna do with my freedom is run away from them? Run away from something I was a part of, actively? It feels wrong. I have to clean up the mess I helped create, and I have the chance right here".

"You're letting that woman get into your head!" Cade says, while aggressively holding his partner's shoulder.

"…That's what the First Order did" Terr says, pulling away from Cade's grip. Waldenhur remains silent, absorbing what he just witnessed. Cade stands up, leaving his plate on the ground, and walks off. The other two remain sitting down, quietly. Waldenhur breaks the silence.

"I guess it's pointless to stay here," he says, as he stands up, brushes off the dirt on his clothes, and hands his plates to Terr, "I'm leaving. You should, too". Then, he walks off. Terr grabs all the plates, stands up, and walks back into the cave. Inside, Rey, Finn, Poe, and Rose unpack their backpacks and store their cargo with the help of the local Rebels. Rey sees Terr walking towards them and approaches him.

"Where are your friends?" she asks.

"They left," Terr responds, indignated, "I guess it's too naive to hope they will turn their hearts".

"And where do you stand?" she inquires.

"I won't be in peace if I'm not trying to clean up the mess I helped create," he admits, "I don't know if I'm a Rebel, but I'll fight with the Rebellion".

Rey smiles. She disagrees entirely with what he said about naivety. And further, he's living proof that it isn't too naive. She pats him on his arm, friendly.

"Welcome to the Rebellion," she says.

_If, despite years of violence and being told he was right in being with the First Order, he can still turn… maybe we can win._

And, galaxies away, just as the Rebellion has had a small and unceremonious victory by saving a Stormtrooper and gaining another warrior for their cause, the First Order prepares for a launch on the ruins of a port in Coruscant. After kneeling before their master, Ducan, the Knights of Ren board a swift shuttle. Thousands of Stormtroopers surround them. Hux watches, with a neutral expression. Even he isn't sure what he feels. Cardo Ren is the last one to approach the Supreme Leader.

"Do not return until you have found the throne of the Sith," he says, "If what I gave you isn't enough… find resources on your own. Serve your purpose". The shuttle takes off. Ducan and Hux walk off to the Senate Building, as they talk privately.

"You said I was the real Supreme Leader," Hux says, nervously.

"You are. I will not contradict your will," Ducan responds, confidently, "But this was necessary for the cycle".

"And if I had been against it?" Hux asks, now looking directly at his apparent equal.

"I believe you still do not get this," Ducan says, somewhat disappointed, "I'm here to fulfill a role, for the sake of the cycle. I let you have say because I believe you share the vision of the Empire, so you are part of the cycle as well. If you divorce yourself from your beliefs and ideas, you will be replaced by someone who has them, and I will be his voice instead of yours".

"So you would have ignored my refusal?" Hux asks, to clarify, elevating his voice.

"And disposed of you," Ducan responds, "Of course, and then replaced you. But you needn't worry. You know that finding the throne of the Sith will get us closer to re-creating the Empire and thus continuing the cycle. As long as you keep fulfilling your place in this story, you can remain calm".

Hux swallows, anxiously, but tries to keep an air of confidence. The slightest misstep could cost him his life. More and more, it seems like his eternal pursuit of power will lead nowhere except to a grave that no one will visit. Is this a path worth following?


	20. A New Path

****Fragments ****_**in itallics **_****are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.****

**Chapter 20: "A New Path" **

Everyone inside the cave seems asleep, except Rose. She looks toward the entrance, waiting for Rey to come back from her walk. Suddenly, she does. The two greet each other quietly, and Rey finally lies down beside Rose, over a bunch of blankets. They end up face to face.

"So, I noticed what you said was similar to something else I've heard…" Rose whispers.

"It was appropriate," Rey responds, "You have an interesting way of looking at things". Rose smiles and blushes.

"So, speaking of which… has it worked for you?" she asks.

"A little…" Rey says, "That's why I took that walk out there… I just explored myself, my own history".

"Yeah? And what did you find out?" Rose follows up.

"When my parents left, I…" Rey turns to look upwards, looking back on her own life, "I didn't want to believe it… some days, I hoped they would come back… other days, I hoped someone would come and tell me they left to protect me, and not because, you know… and other days, I longed for someone to come to Jakku and tell me that they had left because they were someone… I wanted to be told that I was, I don't know, the long-lost granddaughter of Obi Wan Kenobi, or Luke Skywalker… I wanted to be taken out of that hell and given a path, to be told what my point or… what my purpose was."

"And that never happened…" Rose adds.

"No… I unintentionally entered the war when Finn and I escaped Jakku on the Falcon," Rey continues, "And still, the first chance I got, I tried to run back to Jakku. Even knowing the Force was calling to me, I wanted to go back to where I believed my parents would come back for me or something… I was so scared of the uncertainty"

"And did you run away?" Rose asks.

"Circumstances made me stay and I decided to take the leap…" Rey turns to Rose again, "if I found Luke, I thought he would tell me what my role in this was… I just traded my depending on my parents telling me who I was supposed to be, for depending on Luke to do the same thing".

"So, not too healthy, I imagine" Rose says, "And then Luke…?".

"Well, and then he didn't, so I left, and then Ben said the truth about my parents out loud…" Rey's breathing gets slower, "and I was left without anyone to hand me a path… and then Ben gave me his hand…".

"I imagine it must've been very tempting to take it" Rose says, empathizing with Rey.

"You don't know how much…" Rey admits, shaking her head in sorrow, "I've felt what's inside of him".

"Did you love him?" Rose asks, blatantly.

"I abandoned Luke and flew halfway across the galaxy, turned myself in, and confronted Snoke with little Jedi experience, just in the hope that he would turn…" Rey smiles somewhat, "that's my answer".

Rose chuckles, "Why didn't you take his hand?" she asks.

"Because, without realizing it," Rey explains, "I had already become a person with beliefs and thoughts of my own… growing up alone and surrounded by violence and cruelty, I saw how damaging they are, and something told me I did not want to be a part of something that's violent and cruel. I suddenly realized I had a choice, that my path could be decided by me".

"Who would've thought, right?" Rose says, sarcastically.

"It took me a lot of time to decide what my path would be… and it took Finn a lot of time as well… and I know Ben would've taken the right path… and with what we said about the Stormtroopers joining us… something came up inside my head. War can't beat war… it can only feed it," Rey says.

"We're here to save, not destroy, right?" Rose adds. She and Rey are probably more similar ideologically than they would have considered.

"Yeah… and it's tough, I know, because the First Order has literally millions of soldiers, and they are all trained to fight…" Rey concedes, "so I'm still working out the details, but I have decided what my path is".

"And so, what is it?" Rose asks.

"I will challenge everything we know about these things, this conflict…" Rey nods, "Even the Jedi were wrong about some things, ultimately… so I will question it, find a new way… and pursue it no matter what".

Rose smiles, "So, you're gonna take something that's broken and that everyone has just taken for granted and given up on? Like a scavenger?".

"I guess so…" Rey concludes, half-smiling.

"I'm just glad we've got not one, but two Stormtroopers on our side now" Rose says.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have called it, honestly," Rey admits.

"I think it helps that these three were left alone… away from the power that comes with being even alongside the First Order," Rose details, "Away from being told to be violent and unfeeling, and away from being reassured that they're doing the right thing… Away from being allowed and even encouraged to behave violently. And, I wanna believe, having us around them as voices influencing them positively… that must've helped too. So, it's complex, but given the right circumstances, anyone can change. I truly believe that".

And Rose's words of hope fly out of the room, then leave the cave, and afterwards spread throughout the galaxy, echoing even in the farthest corner. On a muddy, green desert far away from Fegwet, a severely wounded man in black robes with his face on the filthy ground regains consciousness slowly. His right arm bends while shaking, and he strugglingly turns himself over. His face, though pale, is covered in cuts and bruises and dirt, and he clenches his teeth in pain, quietly, breathing through them as opposed to using his bloody, congested nose. He remembers his friends betraying him and kicking him out of their shuttle, probably hoping he would die, and he feels anger, but also a deep powerlessness.

_I can't be dead. I'll kill them… I'll kill them all… _

The man who was formerly Supreme Leader Kylo Ren feels a muddy worm sliding patiently through his forehead. He attempts to get it off of his face by shaking his head aggressively, but it's futile. He just moans in pain with the movement of every muscle in his body. He tries to use his arms, but that only increases the pain. He screams one last time before fainting once again, but he lives. But is Kylo Ren alive?

**END OF PART I **


	21. Inescapable

**PART II OF III**

**Fragments **_**in itallics**_ **are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. **

**Chapter 21: "Inescapable" **

Morning came in the distant planet of Toscilla, in Organa City. This was a highly industrialized city with a colorful skyline. Its sun only enlightened the planet for about five hours a day, and the rest of the day was a bright blue due to the chemicals in the atmosphere and the reflection of its many moons. The melancholic aura produced by this environment was more intense and noticeable in that region than it was in any other on the planet. When General Leia and hundreds of other Rebels noticed this upon their arrival following the Battle of Endor, it was decided that the region would be named in their honor, and it was then voted that it would specifically be officially known by the name of the man who had fought to preserve democracy in the face of Chancellor Palpatine rising to power. The melancholic nights were often the backdrop to moments of sadness and remembrance, moments to mourn the millions of lives lost when Alderaan was destroyed. It had been thirteen years since then.

A young Ben Solo woke up. He sensed someone was coming to visit and he jumped out of bed in excitement.

"Five, o, I think my uncle is here!" he cheered to the handy droid resting beside his bed. This was a droid with one wheel, a simple robotic structure above it, and a rotating arm on top, which was designed to attend the young boy's needs. Just beneath the wheel, there was a small blue light, through which it was able to see its surroundings. Ben put on his boots and jacket and ran excitedly outside his room.

"Ben, hold up," 5-06 said, "Stairs!". He approached quickly after the kid, but then slowed down to not fall down the stairwell. After all, Ben's room was the highest in the house.

Ben arrived at the vestibule, and the door opened, having recognized the voice of the visitor. Ben clenched his fists in excitement and smiled. The light of the sun made it impossible to tell colors, but the shape of his uncle was there, solid and clear. The door closed behind him, and Luke's face was now fully visible.

"Uncle Luke!" Ben screamed, running into his arms. Luke kneeled down and hugged his esteemed nephew.

"Hey, kid!" Luke caressed Ben's hair, "What's this mane? Your hair's as long as mine was when I was twice your age!"

"Well, dad said it keeps the ears warmer," they stopped hugging, "Besides, short hair makes crowns look odd".

"Crowns? I didn't know I was in the presence of royalty!" Luke said, charismatically.

"Could I help with that?" Leia asked, as she walked in from her room, "I don't honestly know if he can be royalty or not, given that Alderaan is gone".

"Hi," Luke said, approaching his loved sister with open arms.

"Good to see you here, Luke," she said, hugging her twin brother, "I'm sure we have important matters to discuss".

"I'm afraid so," he responded, with a face that made it hard to tell what exactly he felt about that.

"Ben, can you go get your father?" Leia said, turning to her son, "He's down at the lake, fishing".

"Sure!", Ben nodded, quickly running off to open the door from the inside. 5-06 finally came down the stairwell and followed Ben to the outside of the house. The kid and the droid ran down a valley colored with green and blue leaves. At the bottom, there was a lake, and Han Solo threw bait to the lake. The bait was on a spike and attached through a string to a stick he'd buried just minutes earlier outside the lake, and Han was quietly aiming at the spot where he was now expecting some creature to bite. Suddenly, the stick bended somewhat, and Han confidently fired his weapon, which instead of a blaster, shot a small and light harpoon into the sea. Han pulled the harpoon towards him, and it was through the corpse of a small, grey creature with three eyes and many fins all over his body.

"Dad!" Ben said, now approaching his father. Han saw his son coming and smiled. 5-06 followed closely. The creature on Han's grip still shaked.

"I guess you're not going back home tonight," Han whispered to the creature, jokingly. Ben laughed.

"Mom wants you home," Ben said, "Uncle Luke is here!"

"Is he, now?" Han asked, "Somehow, he's nowhere to be found when we have plagues, but your dad's out here wearing embarrassing footwear and he decides to show up mysteriously", he said, referencing his dirty, smelly sandals.

"Any other shoes would be ruined by this," Ben said.

"No, I know," Han said, while the creature continued to contort in his arms. Han held him and tried to keep him still, "But… you know, still. These smell like trash, and I've been around trash, so I know what I'm saying". The two walk back to the house, followed by 5-0.

"That was certainly a technique, master Solo" 5-0 commented.

"Appreciate it," Han said, "No more funny comments".

Finally, back at the house, Luke and Leia seemed to be having a serious conversation. Han picked up on this, and he and Leia quickly exchanged looks.

"Hey, son, can you go get me my boots, please?" Han asked.

"Yeah!" Ben responded, then running off quickly to his father's dormitory.

"What, a third Death Star?" Han asked Luke, sarcastically.

"Good to see you, too, Han" Luke said, again opening up his arms. Han welcomed his hug and Ben arrived with his father's boots.

"Thank you, son," Han said, grabbing the boots and sitting down on a nearby chair to put them on, "Now, can you leave your mother and I with Luke? I think it's grown-up stuff".

"O- kay…" Ben said, visibly disappointed.

"Hey, don't worry; we'll play later," Han said, ruffling his son. Ben chuckled and walked upstairs. 5-0 followed, using a jumping mechanism to take each step.

Upstairs, Ben paced in circles. 5-06 followed him with his eye.

"Are you entertained?" 5-0 asked.

"No, five, o, I just don't understand why I can't be there," Ben complained.

"Grown up stuff suggests it's stuff strictly for grown ups," 5-0 responded "It is a descriptor of who's allowed to be involved in the conversation".

"I know, I…" Ben said, "I just need to be alone right now".

"Understood. I will turn myself off" 5-0 agreed, and his light turned off. Ben jumped onto the bed. Then, he felt a temptation. He heard a whisper inside his head, which told him to eavesdrop on the conversation, and no one was telling him not to anymore, so he took off his boots and quietly went downstairs. The first person he heard was his uncle.

"The Jedi have to come back," he said, "Without the Jedi here to protect us, anyone can go nuts with the Force".

"Did anything happen?" Leia asked. Luke continued to walk around, and looked everywhere but to his sister and her husband. Leia remained with her arms crossed, standing up beside a window. Han was still sitting down, on his wife's right side.

"Maybe, but anything could happen," Luke insisted, "and that's the point. A new generation of Sith could rise, or something worse than them".

"I don't like how cryptic you're being," Leia said, "But I do agree that a new Jedi Order would be useful".

"Do you know enough about the Jedi?" Han asked.

"Good question," Luke responded, "I've been travelling all around the galaxy and finding out all about their history and philosophy. I get their ideology now. I don't agree with all of it, but this is bigger than me. Like Yoda said, I have to pass it on".

"And who's going to be in this new Order?" Han asked.

"I'm also travelling because of that," Luke admitted; "Remember when we trained to reach out?" he asked Leia, "If used rightly, it can find people across the galaxy, find people who are strong with the Force, perhaps".

"And this is how you're searching?" Leia asked.

"Yes…" Luke nodded, "This is definitely happening. I'm ready now. I've read all about it. And hey, I beat the Emperor and brought Vader back. I've made a name for myself, haven't I? I can be their Obi Wan," Luke said, excitedly, his mind thinking back to how his journey started thanks to Obi Wan Kenobi's teachings, "Imagine!"

"You don't have to be the new Obi Wan, he made mistakes," Leia said, with an expression denoting that this wasn't the first time she'd heard Luke projecting himself as his former master, "And you don't have to be the new Anakin, either," she continued, with a noticeably more serious tone. The truth was that she had never formally made her peace with Anakin's actions as the evil Darth Vader, despite how hard she tried, "You're you! You've accomplished things they wouldn't dream of".

"Hey, come on," Han interjected, almost like an uninvited guest, "Let him be, Leia, he can decide what to do with his life, he's a grown-up," he said. Leia looked back at him, exasperated, like he had just brought back something the two of them had left unresolved. Ben smiled upon hearing them say "grown-up".

"Anyway," Luke continued, breaking the tension, "New Jedi order. Tracking down powerful kids to train them. Bringing back the old Jedi way…" he said. He was thinking of something specific to discuss with them, and they, too, had something they wanted to talk to him about. Unbeknownst to the trio, however, they all wanted to address the same matter.

"Speaking of which," Leia said, looking over at Han, as if asking him to back her up, "We- I feel Ben…" she took a deep breath. She knew this would change Ben's life forever. Little did she know, it would end up affecting the lives of millions across the galaxy, "He's strong with the Force," she finally revealed, "Very strong".

"A Skywalker who's strong with the Force?" Han added, "We know how that goes". Leia agreed non-verbally. Luke also agreed, but, at the same time, he felt the need to question what they all believed.

"Leia and I are Skywalkers, though," he said, "And we both turned out fine".

"Leia never knew until you told her," Han responded, "Ben is already figuring it out. He's noticed things that fit with the legends he's read".

"We're just afraid," Leia admitted.

"Vader is in him," Han said.

Ben silently said "What?" to himself, completely baffled by this. Wasn't Vader some long-dead warrior from the Empire?

"We can't afford another Vader, and Leia and I can't handle that," Han concluded.

"You're family," Leia said, "And you're a Jedi. Han and I just aren't prepared for this".

"It could be catastrophic if we don't do this right," Han said, "And you can do it right".

"We need you to take him," Leia finally admitted. Ben's face slowly turned to disappointment, to emptiness. Were his parents giving up on him?

_What's going on here? _

"They're scared," he heard inside his head.

_They're probably scared, yeah. _

Ben thought that was just part of his mind arguing with itself.

"Scared of you being a monster, perhaps?" the voice asked.

_I'm not a monster. _

"This is hard, you know?" Luke said, "He'll be separated from his family".

"It's necessary," Han said, with sorrow, rubbing his forehead with his hand, "It might be nothing, or he might kill us all".

"Or worse," Leia lamented, in torment, "himself".

"Doesn't that sound like a monster?" the voice insisted.

Ben felt devastated. His face was burning on the inside. It echoed inside of him.

"He might kill us all," Han Solo's voice echoed through time. Twenty years later, that same boy wakes up again. All those years ago, he felt alone and powerless, and now, both of those feelings were truer than ever before. He could barely move. Everything hurt. He was shaking. It has turned cold during the night, and he hasn't eaten for at least a few days. His wounds could very well be infected. Can he even speak?

_So much pain… _

"Does this feel satisfying?" Luke's voice echoes, seemingly without a source, "Was this something you foresaw? Did you plan on this when you were training?"

He growls.

_Get up. Stop being weak. _

The now grown-up boy closed his eyes and levitated his own body off the ground, but, upon having to use his feet to stand, he quickly fell back to the ground, his face landing on a dirty puddle. His teeth clenched harder than ever before. After committing several terrible acts and rationalizing it by saying it was with a purpose, that he would at least become more powerful, it all felt like it meant nothing. Ultimately, he had been defeated. He was powerless and alone.

_You failed. You're pathetic. What was the point of all of this? _

"Kill me already! End this!" he yells, spitting out mud.

Galaxies away, on a library in Fegwet, Rey, Poe, Finn, and Rose are spread throughout the room. Rey and Poe write a timeline on a black chalkboard. Rose sits down with three books opened up in front of her on a table. Finn paces around the room while listening to a recording.

"Well, how far back do you suppose we can go?" Poe asks, while pulling over a second chalkboard at the left side of the other one and continuing the timeline on it.

"Is this system's problematic history getting a little too long for you?" Rey asks, sarcastically.

"Please," Finn says, covering the ear he's not using to hold the recorder, "As little noise as possible".

"All the way back here, we put the colonization," Poe points to a blank section of the line, "and I leave all of this room open?".

"No, let me fill it," Rey says, as she walks over and writes over the blank space using notes on a piece of paper as a reference.

"All right, all right," Poe says, "Looks good".

Suddenly, the door opens. Lyn and Viera walk in, alongside a three-foot tall, chubby, slimy blue creature with red eyes, wearing a brown jacket, sliding as opposed to walking. It has a thick grey beard.

"Everyone," Lyn says, closing the door behind the creature, "This is professor Rhuddal; she's the oldest in this planet. She's four hundred and six years old, so she's seen a lot of history".

"Please, Lyn," Rhuddal says, "Former professor. I retired a few decades ago".

"After three hundred years of teaching!" Viera says.

"It's a big thing", Rhuddal simply responds, "Teaching history is no simple task in the galaxy as it currently is"

"You stopped when the Empire rose, I assume," Rey says, extending her hand to greet Rhuddal.

"That is correct. I was very scared," she extends her slimy, fingerless blue hand in return, and it engulfs Rey's, "I had to let go of it," and Rey feels the fear that Rhuddal remembers.

"But you are willing to help us now," Poe says, "right?".

"That is correct, yes," Rhuddal responds, letting go of Rey's hand, "It's time to change the galaxy, and I like your plan of starting here and now".

"We have some of Fegwet's history already written down," Rose says.

"It's time to change this galaxy," Rey says, confidently.

"Well, yes," Rhuddal agrees, "But the six of you can't do it".

Everyone's facial expressions change.

"I'm sorry?" Finn asks, finally turning off the recorder, and looking personally offended.

"It's not because of you… it's just the way it works," Rhuddal clarifies, "Six people can't overthrow a dictatorship and then decide the fate of the universe. It's unsustainable and it's unethical".

"How so?!" Poe asks, frowning, challengingly.

"You'd be substituting one dictatorship with another," Rhuddal responds, "You have no legs to stand on, fighting one authoritarian regime to then set up another".

"But we'd be doing it for good!" Rey argues, "For everyone's good! They may not know it but it's what's good for them!"

"That's a very dictatorial thing to say, girl," Rhuddal retorts, "Look. I'm not against you. Changing the system is necessary, but that's not a six-person work. It's a genuinely collective effort. It's democracy".

"So then…?" Poe asks.

"You're kind of on the right path," Rhuddal adds, "Coming here to awake the Rebellion… that's what you need to do. The Rebellion is the collective effort. No matter how powerful the First Order or their new Supreme Leader are, they can't stop a galaxy-wide Rebel movement. They can't beat all of us," she concludes.

"This just gets tougher with each conversation," Finn says, sitting down on the floor and covering his face with his hands.

"You're lucky, though," Rhuddal says. Everyone's expressions come to a halt, waiting to hear what's next, "Because most of the galaxy is already on your side," she continues, "They may not be exactly aware of it, or they may be scared of fighting, but they want what you're fighting for".

"Scared of the First Order?" Finn asks.

"Partially," Rhuddal responds, "But more so, scared that we may be trapped, that we're too far gone and can't escape the way things are…" she shakes her head in disillusion, "Scared of dying while fighting a fight that can't ever be won".


	22. A Failed System

**Fragments **_**in itallics**_ **are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. **

**Chapter 22: "A Failed System"**

"Ben, we've noticed… some things…" Han said. He and Ben were walking by a hangar bay in Organa City. Han had just picked up Ben from school and was taking him to Leia's office, so they'd tell him the decision they'd come to with Luke just a day earlier.

"He's about to say it…" a voice said in Ben's head, "He's about to abandon you because he thinks you're a monster".

_No! That's not gonna happen._

"We love you," Han said.

"They hate you".

"We've seen what you can do with… your mind, I guess…" Han rambled.

"They're afraid of you".

_No way! Don't think that!_

"Look, we want what's best for you…" Han continued. They'd just reached the elevator and entered.

"Don't you know what's best for you?"

_I do, but it's okay, they know too._

"W- We don't want you… to think we're trying to hurt you…" Han said, patting his son's shoulder. Ben looked up at him, but Han never looked back to his son. He felt shame.

_Why isn't he looking at me? What did I do wrong?_

The elevator opened up on a large office, at the center of which were Leia and Luke. There were many windows, but the outside was all blocked by blinds.

"Mom, what's going on?!" Ben asked, running to his mother and hugging her. Luke and Leia looked at each other. They knew this would be hard, "I heard you say I would kill you!" the boy cried.

"What?" Leia asked, shocked that Ben had heard them.

"They think you're a monster".

"I'm not a monster!" Ben yelled into his mother's jacket, still hugging her.

"No, you're not," Luke said, getting on one knee to be face-to-face with his nephew, "That's not-".

"Don't lie to me," Ben said, turning to his uncle, "She thinks I'm a monster".

"No…" Luke tries to say, covering up her sister's fear, but Leia interrupts him.

"I said I was afraid that he was a monster in the making," Leia admits; Ben looks up to see her face, and she turns to see his, "Because you're powerful, and you don't know it yet, but power like that can be turned against you and against all of us," Han sighs silently, fearing where all of this will go, "You're right to be angry. We should've told you about this, and not talked about this behind your back… But this isn't because of you… It's to protect you". Leia kneeled and hugged her son. Ben regained some peace and stopped crying briefly. If only there wasn't a voice whispering in his ear.

"Of course it's not because of you. They don't see you as a person".

_What?_

"Protect you from whom? They're the only three people you see on a daily basis".

_Well…_

"Are you okay now?" Leia asked.

_No._

"Yeah," he responded, "I'm fine".

"Your uncle will train you to become a Jedi," Han finally said, "Like he is".

"Do you want that?"

_No… well, I don't know, actually._

"Why?" Ben asked.

"You have the Force in your veins," Han explained, "Or something. If he doesn't train you to be a Jedi, someone will take advantage of you and make a monster out of you".

"Surely all of these grown ups know what the right thing is".

_Don't they?_

"Liars. They probably fear you realizing they've failed and turning against them".

"… When do we start?" Ben asked.

"When we get to Yavin-4," Luke responded, "We're taking my ship down in the hangar bay".

"What ship is it?" Ben asked, trying to distract himself from the questions his mind was raising, "For four people?"

The three adults in the room didn't respond. They just looked elsewhere. Luke finally got direct.

"Jedi training requires being separated from your parents," Luke explained, "It's important. It's no easy path. This is something that goes back thousands of years. You'll see".

_Separating us? Why?_

"That'll keep them protected from you".

_That'll protect them from me, I suppose._

"You'll see them again when the time comes," Luke said, nodding at his nephew, trying to get him optimistic, "We will all be together again in no time, don't worry…" Ben could barely hide the frustration and disappointment, "We are always with you".

"You're alone"

Years later, the boy had grown up, but those words still rang true. He was still unmoving on the ground of a distant planet, completely powerless. He just growled and roared. What was the point of any of this?

"Hello?!" an old man's voice was heard.

The boy's eyes opened in shock. Who was this? Could he be saved? Could Kylo Ren return? Would this man recognize him? If so, what would happen to him? Would he be able to save himself?

"Here!" the boy yelled. Out of the woods, came an old man, with dark, reddish skin, wearing beige clothing and a brown vest, carrying a small backpack.

"Oh, bless!" the man screamed, in surprise and relief. He rushed to the boy and quickly pulled out a small water tank, giving him some of it. The boy coughed after that. Even some dirt came out of his mouth. He slowly got back to a somewhat stable breath, "The creator works in strange ways. How long have you been here?" the man asks.

"I don't know," Ben responds almost automatically, "… days…".

"Well, you're lucky it's been raining," the man adds, brushing off Ben's aggressiveness, "My name is Burnhar… what's yours?".

"You don't know who I am?" the boy asks.

"Are you royalty?" Burnhar asks him back.

_What name should I give? Should I out myself and threaten him? No, you can barely stand! Use him. Take advantage of him. He could be useful._

"My name is Ben," he responds.

"Pleasure to meet you," Burnhar adds, "Now, put your left arm over my shoulders," he says as he moves Ben's arm to get him into that very position. Ben growls some, and clenches his right fist as a defense mechanism, but ultimately he settles back. He can barely keep his back straight. He coughs again.

"Do you have a ship?" Ben asks. The two of them begin making their way slowly through the woods.

"No," Burnhar responds, "I take it you're not a local, then?".

"No!" Ben fires back, "Or… where are we? Why did you jump to that conclusion?".

"Neast," Burnhar answers, "We haven't really… had ships here… in a while…".

"That name sounds familiar," Ben says, "Where have I heard it?".

"The massacre," Burnhar guesses, "probably".

_Of course… Luckily, it's almost general knowledge. My cover hasn't been blown. Must be more careful, still._

"Where are we going?" Ben asks.

"To the village," Burnhar responds, "I live there. As do… some thirty people, maybe".

"Survivors of the massacre," Ben guesses, "I take it".

"That's right, son," Burnhar answers. Something twists inside of Ben's stomach when he hears that last word, "Literally the only survivors, plus two kids".

"And you've survived for four years?" Ben asks, referencing the Neast massacre four years earlier, back when he was just entering the First Order.

"It's not easy," Burnhar admits, "but it's necessary," they finally exit the dense woods, and there is still a large, open field in front of them.

"How far is the village?" Ben asks, hoping to be pleasantly surprised by the answer.

"Oh, it's still far away," Burnhar responds, "You'll be able to see it when we're closer".

_That means I'll have to force myself to talk for a while longer… That'll be a real bother._

"Tell me about yourself, Ben," Burnhar says as they continue to limp along the field.

"No," Ben responds, "You talk first," he adds, commandingly.

"Well, I've lived here my whole life," Burnhar starts to reminisce, "I was hidden by my children during the massacre. They wanted me to make it… it's a terrible burden, but I honor it every day".

Galaxies away, Rey and Poe walk through the town, handing out flyers.

"Hey, sir, good morning," Poe tells a seven-foot tall being with fangs and massive cheeks, whose shoulder he bumps, "Don't you wish you could choose who rules over you? Don't you wish you could deci-?" Poe is interrupted by the tall being pushing the flyers off of Poe's hand, turning around, and walking away, "Hey, thanks for your time!".

Rey helps Poe pick up the flyers.

"This isn't working," he says, looking tired, "I must've talked to thirty people today, and only six of them have not immediately thrown away my flyers!".

"For me, it's been twenty four and five… you know, respectively", Rey says, looking to try to be hopeful, "Which means we could be looking to adding eleven people to our team!".

"Rey, this is just…" Poe looks like he's losing all motivation, "It's gonna fail, tremendously… and we're gonna die before it fails, probably".

"Come on…" Rey can't even complete any kind of motivational response.

"I'm surprised no Stormtroopers have caught on to us yet," Poe admits, "They'll kill us if they see this". Rey shrugs her shoulders.

"Hey, uh…" Poe says, strugglingly, "You're someone who likes to talk, right?".

"Sorry?" Rey asks.

"There's something I need to tell somebody, and…" he says as he puts the flyers inside a pocket in his blue jacket, "Maybe it's you".

"I think I'm the one you know the least out of all of us," Rey comments, "I'm not saying 'no', but…".

"No, but that's okay, that's…" Poe loses the confident look he usually has on his face, "That's good. Most people know an incomplete version of me. You just met me, so maybe it's my chance to get someone to know the full picture".

"All right," Rey says, also hiding inside her jacket the flyers she held, "I'm here, listening, then".

"Let's go somewhere more private," Poe suggests, putting on his hood, and Rey does the same, "this could draw attention".

Back in Neast, Ben wakes up still being held by Burnhar.

"What happened?" Ben asks, aggressively, "What did you do?!" he insists, pulling himself away and falling to the ground pathetically, in front of Burnhar.

_Did he knock me out?_

"Hey, you passed out a while back," Burnhar clarifies, "I was hoping you'd wake up soon," he points to something behind Ben, "We're here". Ben turns and sees a small and humble village, with some fifteen modestly built stone houses, in an environment with a little grass and short trees.

_This is it? So there really are no ships here?_

"What is this?" Ben asks.

"Did you expect a metropolis?" Burnhar asks, cheerfully, "I told you; there are thirty four of us who live here… thirty five, if you join us".

"You th-" Ben is about to ask, but he feels something hard inside his chest and faints.

Poe and Rey reach an elevated and lonely cliff. It's the middle of the day. They sit down on the edge beside each other, their legs hanging off.

"So those were some quiet minutes we just had," Rey says, "You were busy planning out what you would say, I imagine?".

"I still am," Poe admits, his eyes lost, "It's tough… you want to say something big and unexpected and important about yourself… and all you feel is that, once you say it out loud, it will change your whole world in seconds. It's like…" he looks down to his knees and finally comes back to reality, "like pushing your old self off a cliff".

"I'm listening," Rey says. She knows he's trying to postpone his own idea. Poe takes a deep breath.

"Look, there are things about me that… if they were known, I'd b- I'd be… you know… hunted by the First Order, e- even if I wasn't a Rebel," Poe says, "Have you ever read the First Order's manifesto? It was co-written by Hux's dad".

"That's a strange way to change the subject," Rey says, "But no, never".

"Well," Poe again gets nervous, "it basically says 'We're the First Order, and we hate these people and we fight for these other people', you know?". Rey nods, "So, for example, that manifesto declares droids as slaves… and we all, even us Rebels, actually agree with that. We shouldn't, but it's been said and done for a really long time, so it's a part of who we are".

"We should stop doing that," Rey nods again, "Yeah".

"There are other things that the manifesto declares," Poe continues, "That may seem awful, and actually are awful, but that most people around the galaxy still agree with, because they've been said and done for a long time".

"As long as people believe in those things," Rey attempts to guess Poe's next point, "The First Order will continue to exist in some form… right?".

"Right… really, the First Order is just the Empire's ideology branded differently," Poe says, "If we beat this Palpatine guy, there's every chance that some new, old man with grey skin comes along and leads… I don't know, the Second Order? What we need to do is attack those core things that keep the First Order and its predecessor in power, right?". Poe then remains quiet, nodding to himself.

"But how does this affect your identity personally?" Rey outright asks, "That is not what you wanted to get off your chest".

"Right…" Poe exhales, deeply, "Look… the First Order has its… image… the people it considers to be worthy… they all look like Hux. Human. Very much a light skin tone… like me…".

"Yeah…" Rey nods.

"And, of course, for most around the galaxy… they don't agree that such people are superior to everyone else!" Poe finally completes a sentence again, "But a majority does agree with the First Order on people who are…" he can barely get the words out, "… inferior… people whose lives aren't worth as much… they're rarely even called 'people'. So, again, droids, but also…". Poe can't finish the sentence.

"But also…?" Rey asks.

"But also… people who…" Poe searches for a way to describe it aptly, "Men who love men… women who love women… I'm not even sure there's a term for such cases… it's easier to erase us when we don't have a name…".

"You're in love with a man?" Rey asks, smiling, excitedly.

"Why do you seem happy?" Poe asks, genuinely confused, "You're not… scared of me? Uncomfortable?". He almost shakes. His skin is cold.

"I don't buy into that…" Rey admits, "Love is love. I don't think there's any real reason to hate people for whom they love". Poe exhales once again, this time in relief, "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me this".

"Yeah," Poe continues to shake, "I've never told anyone that". His body seems frail, almost breaking. Rey grabs Poe's head and rests it on her shoulder. A few tears drop down his cheeks.

"So is it Finn?" Rey asks, playfully.

"Yeah," Poe responds, "I mean, there's been a few before… that no one knew about…" Poe laughs nervously, still caught up in his tears, "But yeah, it is Finn. But the point isn't just that. It's… I'm not normal. Usually, people would hear what I said and put me behind bars or… in forced labor… or worse".

"That's why we're fighting," Rey says, "To end the hate".

_I hate them. I hate them for making him feel this way. He's not a monster and they've almost convinced him that he is… but also… how much can they really be blamed, if the whole world around them tells them to believe those things? Are they really monsters if they're just doing what they think is right? If so, then that should mean it can change… maybe…_

And, galaxies away, back on Neast, someone else who sees himself as a monster lies down on a bed, inside a warm, humble room, covered in sheets and with cooling bags over his face, to counter inflammations. He wakes up and sees a green-skinned child up on the bed, watching him.

"Leave!" Ben says, with the little voice he has.

"Who are you?" the child asks in a high-pitched voice.

"Why do you care? Leave!" Ben insists.

"I'm Wille," the child says, remaining positive, "and y-".

"Leave, kid!" Ben interrupts him. Wille is scared off by this, and climbs off the bed, then runs off to the door and exits. Ben notices that Burnhar was sitting near the door this whole time, watching him.

"Well, that was not very nice," Burnhar says, as he stands up and begins walking toward the bed.

"I don't want your judgment," Ben responds, coldly, "Leave".

"Look, son," Burnhar says. That last word again makes Ben feel something inside of himself, "We're tending to your wounds. We'll come feed you in a few hours. No one here is getting paid for this, so please just don't give them any real reason not to help you".

"What are you saying?" Ben asks, challengingly.

"I'm saying that you're not behaving too well," Burnhar explains, now being just an arm's length away from Ben's face, "And people will get tired of helping you if you're like that. At the very least, three rules for you…".

_Why is he talking to me like he has any authority over me? I could choke him right now._

"Rule number one is to say 'please', say 'thank you', say 'hello', and say 'goodbye' to everyone," Burnhar says, raising one finger.

_Right now. With my mind. I could twist his neck and end this annoyance. It's inconsequential._

"Rule number two is to try not to give people orders, and if you do, don't be too aggressive with them," Burnhar continues, lifting a second finger, "No one is here to attack you, so there's no need to defend yourself".

_It's not wise. He's my advocate here. I need to be fed and healed, at least. After that, it's his neck. Then all of the Knights'. Then Rey. Then Hux._

"Rule number three is to not tell people to shut up," he lifts a third finger, "Listen to them. They're here to help you; the least you can do is make them feel respected. They have very little to do here, so most of the time they just tell their incredible, sometimes breathtaking stories. And try to remember names, too".

_I hate him._

"Just three very rudimentary rules, and you'll be fed and treated adequately," Burnhar says, "Can I count on you to follow them?".

_I'll kill him, but right now I do have a use for him. Compromise, then._

"Yes, Burnhar," Ben nods, "I will do as you say".

"Very good," Burnhar says, smiling, walking off to the door, "I knew there was a spark in you, son". Ben's insides churn, "I know that that spark will eventually get you out of here". Burnhar closes the door behind him. Ben stays alone. It's how he's always been, right?.

Far away, GL-5002 and RX-2008 arrive at a small room with twenty two other Stormtroopers. They shut the door behind them.

"All right, it's coded now," GL says, "We're safe here".

"Good," RX says, "I summoned you here because you're the ones we've noticed are doubtful and distrustful of the First Order. For a variety of reasons, all of us in this room feel like we don't belong here anymore". GL takes off his helmet. The Stormtroopers watching them wear theirs, so their expression can't be seen, but it's clear from their body language that this isn't something they expected, and it's not something they're used to.

"My designation is GL-5002," he says, "But my name will be Dameson. I remember vaguely that my parents said that name once, so I have decided that I will honor the memory of who I was before the First Order took control of my life".

"And I will be Rex," RX says, "Honestly, I just like the sound of it for some reason. So… the point is we've decided what our names will be, we've decided who we're gonna be, and we want you to do the same. Take off your helmets, and take a new name. Any name! Just… don't let the First Order control your life and identity anymore".

Slowly, they start taking off their helmets and revealing their true selves.

"See?" Rex asks, "This is what happens when we show our faces in an environment that sees us as the people we are… the First Order doesn't think of us like that".

"We get our hands dirty for it," Dameson adds, "And we die out there for it… and we're nothing to them".

"Neither is anyone in the galaxy!" a Stormtrooper sitting down says.

"Can you repeat that?" Rex asks him; he wasn't expecting this kind of participation. He has no idea where the discussion is going.

"What they did to us is awful," the trooper deepens, "But it's not too different from what they do and what they make us do to everyone around the planet. We've been spreading violence and death everywhere for years! If we hate the First Order, and I think we do, we need to look beyond our own pain," Rex looks to be having a revelation. He had never thought of it like that, but it all feels true, "My name," he says as he stands up, "is Nino. That's how we said 'kid' in my native tongue, I remember. Many called me that. We have to fight. We have to destroy the First Order".


	23. The Light Inside Us All

**Fragments **_**in itallics**_ **are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 23: "The Light Inside Us All"**

Years ago, Ben walks alongside Luke and in front of his parents on a hangar bay. They approach Luke's shuttle.

"See, I usually travel on an X-Wing, but this one's a little less… aggressive. This one says 'we're open to negotiations', and not 'we're gonna shoot you', which is nice," Luke says, trying to divert Ben's attention from what's about to happen.

_Why is he talking to me like I'm three years old? _

"Do you like the ship?" Luke asks.

"Yeah," Ben responds, brushing off what he sees as an insulting conversation, "It's cool". They finally arrive at the end of the shuttle's ramp. Luke and Ben turn around to see Han and Leia face to face.

"Well," Han says, "Here we are". Then, he kneels down to be on Ben's eye-level. Ben walks towards him and hugs him. While they're hugging, Ben makes one last attempt to stay.

"Can't you learn what Luke wants to teach me? Can't you be the one to teach me?" Ben whispers. Han chuckles.

"I don't think so, son," his father responds.

"I don't think I'm strong enough for this… Please, can't you help me?" Ben asks. Han finally pulls himself away from the hug.

"I can't," he says, "sorry". He then stands back up.

_Why won't he help me? He's my dad… _

"Maybe he doesn't see you as his son," Ben hears inside his head.

Leia walks towards him, opening her arms.

_I can't do this… _

Ben hugs his mother.

"Will we see each other again?" he asks her.

"Of course…" Leia responds.

_I hope so. _

The hug ends and Leia kneels.

"Look forward, always," and she hugs her son once again, "That's my… that's my last piece of advice…".

_This is over. _

The hug ends and Ben, with teary eyes, finally walks up the ramp.

"I'm sure he'll get better," Luke says, "This is a Jedi thing. It's tough, but it's always been like this".

"It was good seeing you, kid," Han says, "We'll stay in touch".

"Take good care of him," Leia says, hugging her brother, "He's just a kid".

Luke then hugs Han, and afterwards enters the ship.

"May the Force be with you," Luke says, as the ramp closes, "always!".

And, over two decades later, in Neast on a small village, a door opens.

"Hello," an older woman says as she enters the room, "It's Ben, right?"

"Yes," Ben responds.

_I don't want to be bothered._

"I brought you something to eat," she says as she reveals a dish with a bunch of small, round, crispy-looking, glassy breads, "Bumcakes, they're called… They will give you a boost of energy, which I think you sorely need".

"Oh, you thi-" Ben almost responds defensively for no real reason that can be discerned, "Oh, you think so, perhaps you're right. After all, you made them".

"Sure, son," that word, again, "Let me just…"

"Why would you use that word?" Ben asks, like a wild animal, "You're not my mother".

"Oh, I'm sorry," she says, making a small reverence as a way of showing humility, "It was not my intention to make you feel what you felt. Did you have a troubling or strained relationship with your parents?".

_Why does she have to ask that?_

"That's a very intimate question to ask someone," Ben says, with the air of a predator who just locked on to a potential prey, "Unless you're trying to get information out of them…".

"I am trying to get information out of you," she admits, "No one knows anything about you, except that your name is Ben, and that you're angry, for some reason".

_Why is she attacking me?_

"Angry for some reason," Ben says, "Well, you would think that, of course".

_Why is this happening?_

"I guess that's true," she concedes, "I don't know what you've been through. If you're responding like this to someone who's come here to feed you, there must be some rough and troubling stuff behind you. I apologize, sincerely, if I made you feel invaded".

_Why? Why? She's making me want to explode._

"Should I leave the dish over your legs?" she asks.

_I want to eat, but I can't move. It all still hurts. She'd love to know that, wouldn't she? That I'm in pain, that I'm helpless._

_No, what are you thinking? She's got no reason to feel pleasure out of my pain. Why did I jump to that conclusion? Maybe she can feed me. I need it. I feel so weak._

"No!" Ben says, this time sounding like a starving, fragile animal, "I… I can't move… help me… feed m-… will you feed me?".

_Mind what Burnhar said. It must have some merit. At least, he knows these people, so what he said must be useful for them._

"Please?" Ben asks.

"Sure," she says, somewhat reluctantly. She pulls over the chair beside the door over to next to the bed and sits down, with the dish over her legs, "You ever had one of these?".

"No," Ben responds. She grabs one of the bumcakes and gives it to Ben right on his lips. He chews it slowly.

"Do you like it?" she asks.

"It's good," Ben says, "The taste is good".

_It feels good. It has a good taste._

"Here comes a second one, then," she says, giving another bumcake to him.

_She seems like she's not enjoying this. She'll want to leave. Who will feed me then? I must keep her here._

"Ye- did you come up with this recipe?" Ben asks, his lips flinching.

"Oh, it's a family recipe," she responds, "My grandmother made them for me when I was growing up. I grew up with them".

"And your parents?" Ben asks.

"They passed away," she responds, "They were killed. In the Clone Wars".

"I know what those are," Ben says. His eyes now don't leave the old woman's eyes. He can almost see her memories behind her pupils.

"My parents wanted to protect me," she says, "So they took me to my grandparents' and went to defend our town".

"From which side?" Ben asks.

"I don't know," she says, "Just from the war, in general. It's all bad".

"And what do you think about what they did?" Ben asks, "Good? Bad?".

"I resented them for a long time," she admits.

That implies she maybe no longer resents them.

"I imagined many things they could've done to save my life, without abandoning me," she admits, "And, it's confusing… you know they were doing what they thought was best for you, but you feel the pain of the consequences they didn't consider… but also… you can't pretend that you would've made a wiser choice if it'd been up to you, right?".

"But you can," Ben says, "We're not weak. We're better than those people who made mistakes in the past".

"I only came up with those better ideas because I saw the consequences of the one they did," she says, "You can't entirely blame them for not having the knowledge they had no way of getting. They did their best. Being bad at parenting doesn't necessarily make them bad people. Imagine them giving up their time with me, their chance to see me grow up, their feelings for me… their own lives, hoping that I would be happy, and then all I feel is hate".

"But that's unfair!" Ben says, "They did make you feel abandoned!".

"Yes, and those feelings were very real," she says, "But it's not as black-and-white as I thought. They didn't intend on making me feel that way… they made a bad call. If I made a bad call and ended up hurting someone I cared about deeply, I know I would want that person to try to understand why I did it and… maybe, in time, give me a second chance".

_But…_

"And did…" Ben struggles to find the words, "Did you realize you forgave them? Or did you decide you would forgive them? Because those two things are different, and-".

"It was when my son died," she says. Ben stops talking, "Ironic, I know".

_That was a genuine observation._

"I had my son when I was already very old," she narrates, continuing to feed the former dark lord, "And he was four, by the time another invasion came our way… this time, it was the First Order".

_I remember that invasion._

"I contemplated leaving him with my close friends Gleena and Tubou, my then-neighbors, who had a bunker… and go fight the invasion," she closes her eyes, in regret, "But decided I wouldn't do to him what my parents did to me. I'm wiser, right?". Ben nods, quietly, "Well, so I was carrying my baby, rushing through the city. It was all chaos, but I thought I'd take my son elsewhere, where we could both be safe, together, without abandoning him". She swallows several times, and stops feeding Ben briefly. Ben just observes her. He sees her clenching her teeth in rage and frustration.

"What happened?" Ben asks, coldly, almost like she's giving him a mission report.

"A TIE fighter shot somewhere behind me…" Ben knows where this is going, "And I survived, but the blast made my son fly out of my reach. I saw him being hurled away from me… screaming, losing hope. I saw that that could've been avoided if I'd taken him to my neighbors… or done literally anything else… and in a matter of seconds, I could swear I saw and heard in him the same feeling of abandonment that I had felt over the course of years".

_Do I still hate her?_

"Sometimes people wrong you and really wrong you…" she says, "But in some cases, it's more complicated than that, and you don't really get that until you feel it…". She feeds Ben another bumcake, as he remains quiet, absorbing what he just heard.

_If it'd been me in my parents' place… no, but they did a lot wrong. They kept things from me. My raw strength. My grandfather. Then they sent me away without asking me, precisely because explaining it required exposing their lies. They were wrong. Then Luke consistently rejected me and continued to make me feel like everyone saw me as a monster. He also kept the secret of my grandfather from me. And he wanted to kill me, just because he saw that I was having dark thoughts… But I couldn't not have them! I had felt rejected my whole life! It made sense! The whole world is what didn't make sense. Everyone else. I know now that if I were in their place, I would tell my son the truth, not hide it from him, and be there for him. Not make him feel like he doesn't belong anywhere. I know I would've wanted that. They could've done a lot of good with just that._

Ben eats the last bumcake.

"Well, so that's that…" she says, "I hope they make you feel energized, at least for some time. They take some time to digest, so I would recommend staying awake for a while, until they do". She stands up, brushes the crumbs off of his chest, to which he reacts with subtle shaking and flinching of his face muscles, and then walks off to the door.

_What now? She leaves?_

"You leave," Ben says.

"That's right," she responds, "I have duties". Ben looks everywhere, wondering what to say. His mouth opens. He breaths in and out silently. She waits to hear what he has to say.

"Tha- The food was very good," he says, "It has made me feel better".

"That's very good," she responds, then turning away again, to leave the room.

"Will I see you again?" Ben asks. She turns back to him.

"Of course you will", she concludes, then turning around once more and leaving the room, "Goodbye!".

Ben's mouth remains open. He closes his teeth and almost mouths the word 'good', but nothing comes out. He then exhales, attempting to clench his fists, but feeling immense pain due to his injuries. On the other side of the galaxy, in the Fegwet system, a small gathering is about to take place in an abandoned library. Rey, Rose, Finn, Poe, Lyn, Viera, Jut-Ho, Ruppe, Loré, Kotto, Ward Junior, Terr and former professor Rhuddal are in the room, standing up, while five people are sitting down in front of them, looking somewhat confused. One of them stands up.

"No, wait, please!" Rey says, "We're about to start". It's true; they were just waiting, hoping that more people would show up.

"Hey, look, girl," the one-eyed, hairy man responds, "I'm sure you guys have good intentions, but I have somewhere else to be, and this is starting to feel like we're alone".

"But you're not!" Rey exclaims, "We came from halfway across the galaxy!".

"No one in here wants to fight the First Order!" he says, "I'm sorry". He then turns around to leave.

"Then the First Order has already won!" Rhuddal says.

"Well, they killed my parents, so they might as well have!" he responds.

"No, we have to fight!" Finn says.

"We're gonna get ourselves killed" another non-human alien sitting down adds.

"We need all the help we can get!" Rose says, "We're going all-in for this. We want to change the galaxy, but we need your help".

"Why?" the one-eyed visitor asks.

"Because the First Order literally needs you. You're the ones that do the work!" Rose argues, "If everyone opposes them, what will they do?"

"Use the Stormtroopers, maybe?" another alien sitting down asks.

"We're bringing them to our side as well," Rose adds. Everyone's expressions change. Some change to utter shock and others to worry, "We leave the First Order alone. That's how we win".

"No… it isn't… that not gonna… that can't happen… it just proved to me that everything you said was mistaken and stupidly hopeful", the one-eyed visitor says, then turning over and walking away, "You want irrational hope. You came to the wrong planet!". Everyone is left with no distinguishable reaction after that.

"That was really hard…" Terr says, "I'm gonna go get some air," he walks out of the room. The four other visitors stand up slowly and walk away. The Rebels sigh collectively. Outside the library, Terr catches up to the one-eyed visitor, "Sir!" he screams.

"What?"

"What's your name?" Terr asks.

"Lauro," the visitor responds, "Why?".

"I didn't have a name. I was a Stormtrooper, but these guys found me and showed me the right way," he explains. Lauro looks at him like he's a madman, "And I'm not the only one. The man who told you we had to fight… he was a Stormtrooper too! Throughout my three years of service, there were twenty seven reported deserters! Twenty seven! And that was without guidance," Lauro's expression changes slowly, "I know things look awful, and everyone is hopeless in here… but that's the point! That's why it's important! The most hopeless planet in the galaxy rises and takes down the First Order's literal base in here! Imagine the noise! Imagine how the tide will rise! We need a place and a people who think they've already lost their chance. You think this is the wrong planet to start a galaxy-wide revolution? Mister Lauro, with all due respect, and you can quote me on this, my self-assigned name is Terr, this is the only planet where we can do this". Lauro is speechless despite his mouth being slightly open after hearing Terr's words. He closes his mouth, swallows, and then finally responds.

"I- You want the impossible…" he says, as he walks off, looking down to the ground, in catharsis. Finn comes out of the library and bumps Terr's shoulders in a friendly manner.

"Hey, you alright?" he asks.

"Yeah," Terr responds, "I just… thought I could make a difference. Like you made in me".

"We'll get through this…" Finn says, faking a smile as optimistically as he can, "Let's get back inside".

Rey roars and pushes a pile of books off a table.

"When you're done acting like a seven year old…" Rhuddal says, judgmentally.

"I can be angry!" Rey shoots back.

"Fine…" Rhuddal backs off, literally and figuratively, "Just so long as you put them back on their place…".

"Nobody comes to this library, anyway," Rose says. She deals with her own disappointment sitting down on the floor and looking like she shrank herself, hugging her legs and burying her face into them. Rey's jaw shakes and she frowns impossibly. She raises her arms, opens her palms, and closes her eyes, still looking menacingly angry. The remaining Rebels just watch, while pacing and dealing with the defeat on their own. Rey uses the Force to pull every single book on the shelves, from the bottom to the one too far up to even be seen from the floor, away from their resting place. She growls as she does the motion. The books shake mid-air. Rhuddal looks worried, but also fascinated. She tries to count the books in the air with her mind, but it's pointless. There's too many of them. Rey growls once again, harder, and pushes the books exactly back into their place at the same time, creating an overwhelmingly strong sound; like two indestructible rocks hitting each other. Rey catches her breath and then lies against the wall, trying to relax.

"We couldn't get… more than five people…" she says, with intermittent breathing, "And we still failed… with all of them…".

"This isn't hopeless…" Rhuddal comments.

"I know it isn't! But damn it," Rey seems almost in pain, shaking her head 'no' constantly, "Sometimes it's hard to keep that hope! Things look bleaker than usual…".

Ben wakes up in pain. His scream alerts Burnhar, so he suddenly walks in.

"Morning, Ben…" he says, "Late start!".

"Humorous," Ben responds, "Feed me. I need to be better soon".

"Ben," Burnhar says as he approaches the bed, "We had our local medic see you yesterday. You wouldn't even wake up, but he saw your wounds, your state. He estimates that you will need at least a hundred days of healthy life and treatment to recover".

"He doesn't know me," Ben responds, defensively, "I'm more powerful and can heal faster". Burnhar walks over to the left side of Ben's bed.

"Touch me with your right hand," Burnhar says, "Preferably without yelling".

_Touch him? _

"You think I couldn't?" Ben asks, threateningly.

"Why do you take everything as a challenge against your ego?" Burnhar asks, "Now, touch me".

Ben frowns and his breathing rate increases. He's angry.

_How dare he talk to me like that? _

Ben straightens up, now sitting down on the bed, and tries to twist his back so that his right arm can go across, but the moment he rotates, he starts to yell and shake.

"You're gonna hurt yourself more if you keep straining yourself," Burnhar warns, but then he extends his arm and touches Ben's right hand before it can go across the bed, "But if you allow us to help you out, this can go out in a smoother way".

_Why is- What is he… _

"Go back to your resting position, Ben," Burnhar says, ducking and picking up a box with surgical tools, "I need to work on your injuries".

Ben aggressively falls back into lying on the pillow.

"I thought you weren't a medic," he says, his breath still slowing down from how it was seconds ago.

"I'm not, but I do not want our medic to come deal with you," he says, as he pulls out some of the instruments and leaves them on a table nearby, "As it turns out, most people do not enjoy being yelled at… and with the work he has to do, I would've been surprised if you didn't manifest your anger as violence against him. I asked him to teach me the basics over the past few days".

_What? _

"You learned how to do this just to help me?" Ben asks.

"That's what I said," Burnhar says, "I hope it works".

Ben swallows, nervously. What is he feeling? This man just gave up his time to learn something just to help him. He cared for him.

"That was an important decision you made," Ben says, nodding, nervously, flinching.

"We're about to see just how much," Burnhar says, as he pulls over a chair, "Extend your arm over here, please, with your palm opened upwards". Ben obeys, revealing several scars, including a few visibly open wounds. He looks faithfully at the man helping him.

"Be careful," he warns.

"Sure, of course," Burnhar responds. He then puts on a pair of elastic globes and pulls out pieces of cloth and humidifies them, "Now, this will help anesthetize your muscles, and it will make you fall asleep. When that happens, I'll start working on your arm".

A week later, back in Fegwet, Finn and Terr are having a drink on a quiet bar. They both wear inconspicuous, green-ish, baggy clothing.

"In hindsight, I think the most blatantly, insultingly propagandistic thing they ever showed us at our camp was a video of a man pretending to be Luke Skywalker…" Terr says, with a bottle in one hand and his chin in the other, as he thinks back to his childhood, "… and he came into a village with a bunch of kids, all wielding swords... ".

"Laser swords?" Finn asks.

"Not so much, no…" he chuckles. Finn laughs out loud, "I don't think they had the budget for that. Just regular swords. And they destroyed the village!".

"I vaguely remember something like that!" Finn says, "Could it have been the same video?".

"I wouldn't discard that…" Terr says, then drinking from his bottle.

"You know, with all of that indoctrination and training we go through," Finn says, "It's a little hard to understand what was going on back in that Star Destroyer. What happened? I remember something… fifty five?".

"Protocol fifty five, yeah," Terr nods, putting down his bottle, "It was an order designed to rebel against Kylo Ren. Hux came up with it and notified some of us… but it was mostly fed by our own distrust and doubt".

"Distrust and doubt of Kylo?" Finn asks.

"Just in general," Terr reminisces, "With Snoke gone, things lost meaning. He started it, so we just… we all fell into doubt when, all of a sudden, he was gone and we had to serve Kylo". Finn listens attentively, quietly, "We lost that sense of purpose, that idea we had of the path we were going to take… and after that lost purpose, doubt sets in… you wonder if there's a better way to live… you grow tired of what was once routine. Eventually, I believe, with enough good influence… with the promise of peace, they could all turn".

"Terr, exactly!" Finn agrees, "They need to know that the First Order is nothing without them. That if they turn, if they set themselves free, if they all do it, then there will be no one to punish them for it".

"Yeah, but how do we do that?" Terr asks, "We couldn't even turn Waldenhur and Cade".

"Yet!" Finn says, raising his index finger as if he'd just solved an impossible question, "Do you know where they are?".

"Yeah, I saw them the other day while giving out flyers," Terr responds.

"Let's turn them to the light," Finn says, clenching his fist and quickly getting up from his seat, "We have to keep trying," and, suddenly, his eyes are enlightened, "And I think I have an idea. Follow me; we have to pay a visit to the Millennium Falcon".

A while later, Waldenhur and Cade are on what's called a "Takedown circle" club; several privileged people surround a cage, inside of which there are six aliens arranged on a circle. There's a circle drawn on the ground as well, within the confines of the cage. The aliens inside wear minimal clothing and look sweaty and tired, as the audience around them cheers. Waldanhur and Cade are on the bar, watching the cage from a slightly higher ground. They are drinking, looking unmotivated and tired.

"Did you bet on any of them?" Waldenhur asks.

"I have twice as many credits right now as I did last night," Cade responds, "No more betting today, I don't wanna take chances".

"That's smart," Waldenhur nods. They both drink, "You're smart for this; it's good you're in charge of that".

"Yeah," Cade says, then burping and looking sick, "now all we need is someone in charge of making life here not feel miserable". The tall, dirty, octopus-looking creature behind the bar places a bottle in front of the former troopers.

"Care for another bottle?" he asks.

"No…" Cade says. The creature puts the bottle back on a safe.

"Then I must reluctantly but surely solicit you to stand up and walk away from your current seats," he says, pointing with three arms to the exit, "Your earlier state, of requiring a compulsory purchase and consumption of pleasuring and highly toxic drinks to give you the illusion of plenitude, is what meant a significant contribution to my business. Your current, more aware stat-".

"Yeah, yeah!" Cade says, "We'll leave". Coincidentally, a bulky, caped man with sheets wrapped around his face sits down right after they leave. The two deserters walk outside of the club. Right beside the door, Terr awaits.

"Good to see you, guys," he says, "Feeling fulfilled already?" he asks, bumping them both on their backs.

"What do you want?" Cade asks, pushing his former partner away.

"Can't you see?" Terr asks, "You're living day-to-day, and only drinking… and that which you saw inside there…" his volume increases more with each passing second, "That's what this whole place, this whole galaxy, is like! Those poor guys fighting, attacking each other, so that the careless conformists with a semi-stable job watching them can feel comfortable, all ultimately going into the pockets of the heartless rich monster who finances this whole thing!".

"We know how this works!" Waldenhur howls, "Why are you acting like we don't?".

"Because you're acting like you don't," he responds, bluntly, "If you're not fighting these things, you're allowing them to happen… supporting them".

"We know!" Cade yells. Suddenly, though, they hear an unfamiliar voice.

"Hands up!" he orders, approaching as they halt and obey him.

"We were not doing anything, sir," Cade says, "Code-".

"Shut up," the trooper says, aiming right at Cade's face, "I could move my finger and destroy your skull, pathetic scum". Cade simply swallows, frightened. They lasted approximately ten days away from the First Order, and every single one of those days was used for nothing. The trooper turns to Terr, "You were spotted a few days ago rumoring about a Rebellion," he says, then, in the blink of an eye, grabbing Terr and pulling him to the ground, fiercely. The trooper then aims at him, and Terr closes his eyes, hoping against hope that his friends come to their senses. And sure enough, Cade and Waldenhur maneuver to disarm the trooper and push him to the ground, then turning the tables and aiming at his face. The trooper puts his hands in front of his helmet, as if they would help in covering. They then realize the irony of the situation.

"Wait, don't shoot him!" Terr says, from the ground.

"That's… that's Finn, isn't it?" Cade says, smugly.

"Actually," Finn says as he walks out of the club, removing the sheets from around his head "That was my plan… but he trusted you enough to actually get a current trooper. I just told him that a Rebel sympathizer that looked like him was here. No evidence of any kind is needed, really. You know how we're trained".

"But don't kill him," Terr begs, "We used to be him. Let's give him the second chance we were given".

"What are you talking about?" the trooper asks. Cade struggles, but finally puts down the blaster.

"Fine," he turns and offers Terr his hand, helping him to stand up, "You were right, you arrogant fool. Now, let's take this guy back to base".

Ben woke up slowly. The sunlight came through his eyelids and illuminated his brown eyes. He was able to rub his eyes with his left hand. The forearm overall still looks damaged, but it feels lighter, painless.

"Comfortable?" Burnhar asks. He's been standing next to the door for some time.

"How long have you been standing there?" Ben asks.

"Well, you're my guest," Burnhar responds, "And, also, I'm looking at the whole town," he raises his eyebrows and points to the wall on Ben's left side. He hadn't noticed before, but there's a window, and outside, there are about fifteen people on a large table, cooking and baking, while five other villagers await and clean up, "It's dinner time".

"Good" Ben adds.

_I can feel my arm, and it's no longer killing me. My back feels different too, what's going on?_

"Why does my back feel lighter?" Ben asks.

"What pained you the most was an infection," Burnhar walks toward a bureau by the nearest wall and grabs a covered-up beaker sitting on it. The beaker has a green liquid on the inside, and some small bugs, "These little parasites. You're still wounded, but the potions I used flushed them out. Now you can move like a… well, like a person who's been through thirty fights in one day".

_He didn't have to do that._

"All right," Ben says, biting his lips, unsure, "That was a thoughtful addition to the… procedure".

_You need to eat._

"I'm hungry!" Ben says, as Burnhar is just turning around to leave. He turns back to Ben.

"I would imagine, yes," Burnhar nods, "But at the moment, all the food we have is out there. If you want it-".

"Fine," Ben interrupts him, "I'll go out there".

"Do you promise to be on your best behavior?" Burnhar asks, like a father confronting his son about indecent manners.

_The woman from the other day may be out there. And Burnhar will keep you safe. And they'll feed you._

"How many people are there?" Ben asks.

"Well, some are still inside their homes, but I can promise you there won't be forty people," Burnhar responds, smiling.

_Being around too many people sounds exhausting._

"I… I'm afraid that it would be too much for me," Ben says, hoping to get Burnhar to bring him food to the room instead. Burnhar is up to his tactics, though. He puts his hands on his hips, like he was a father who just caught his son stealing.

"All that I used," Burnhar says, "Literally and figuratively… came from all of them out there. You're here, painless, now, because of them. I'm not saying you owe them anything. They did it out of good will, but come on… Let them know you, at least. Just a few minutes".

_I will not be able to contain myself. I will explode against everyone present. This is a bad idea._

"Okay…" Ben nods, "I'll wait until tomorrow," he says, this time honestly. Burnhar chuckles.

"Interesting," he says, "You didn't threaten me or yell at me".

"Why would I do that?" Ben asks, seeming exasperated. Burnhar smiles.

"I don't know…" he says, then walking off, "Good night, Ben. Someone will bring you food in a moment".

_What was that? What happened? I thought he wanted me to go out there if I wanted to eat. He lied, just like everyone else does. Surely… _

_But why? _

_Why am I thinking such things? He just healed me and said I would be fed. Why did I feel the need to… and why am I questioning this? _

A familiar face walks in. Ben hoped to see her outside, but she's come with a bowl filled with soup and a dish with roasted meat, along with cutlery. Ben's eyes widen upon seeing her.

"You busy?" she asks, as she walks closer to him.

"No. I am physically incapacitated, still," he responds, again, as if giving a military report, "I'm unable to do anything that involves getting out of this bed". She laughs.

"You're a funny man," she says, leaving the dish and the bowl over his legs, "I hope sometime soon you can join us out there".

_What do I say? _

Ben simply swallows, keeps his mouth forcibly shut, visibly, and nods. She leaves the room, as Ben begins to drink the soup.

Galaxies away, in Coruscant, a man Ben hasn't thought about in a while looks out a window. Below, hundreds of civilians have been forced to work in rebuilding the city. Hux walks up to the Supreme Leader.

"Supreme Leader…" Hux says, even though he's been told repeatedly that he's the real Supreme Leader, it hasn't felt like it. The power he's always craved, which he thought was his for a moment, is ultimately very fragile, "You wanted to dis-"

"We can frame this differently… there's a way to ensure this keeps going for longer," Ducan says, "And you're gonna like this idea".

Hux just remains quiet, knowing he could be killed if he says anything Ducan doesn't agree with.

"Under Snoke's leadership, matters got a little too overt," he paces around Hux, like he was marking his territory, "Dictatorships last longer when they're disguised as fair systems". Hux swallows and finally speaks.

"So what do you propose?" he asks, looking everywhere except to Ducan's face, "We destroyed the New Republic".

"Yes, but we can walk out of this," Ducan hypothesizes. He gets closer to Hux's face with his motions, "We can blame it on Kylo Ren and Snoke, say they were a poison that's now gone… we could also frame the Republic as corrupt, make up evidence… we have a number of options to turn the First Order into another Republic in name… and keep this going endlessly".

Hux's mouth twists and his stomach revolts some.

"Sir, but would that not make things more difficult?" he asks.

"What would they do?" Ducan asks, nonchalantly, "We'll be behind the scenes on everything and make things work our way". Hux can't entirely process what's being discussed. As it's been recently, he's more concerned with saying whatever will protect him than actually thinking.

"We should take it to our fellow higher-ranks…" he comments.

"I agree," Ducan says, finally walking away from Hux. The young general's shoulders loosen up noticeably after this, as he sighs silently, "We must structure this properly… Make it look like democracy is real. Long live the First Order".


	24. The First Uprising

**Fragments **_**in itallics**_ **are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 24: "The First Uprising"**

"Close your eyes," Luke said, doing so himself, "Not too hard. Relax. Let go". He and Ben had travelled to Bit'arr, a planet in the Outer Rim that hadn't been colonized by the Republic, or by the Empire. It was a lush planet filled with tall, colorful trees, and, at some point, amongst them all, there's a purple lake, at the center of which is one tree that stands above, being over a hundred times as tall as the tallest among the bunch around it. Out of its massive top, shiny waterfalls shoot their way down to the ground, moisturizing the environment and generating many rainbows, as well as feeding back into the purple lake. Luke sat down beside Ben at the bottom of the tallest tree, right on its thick and solid roots. They were both cross-legged and touching the roots beneath them with their hands.

"Feel the cold surface," Luke said, "The irregularities. These roots have been walked over by many in past generations".

_I miss my dad._

"Can you feel it?" Luke asked.

"I feel the imperfections, yeah," Ben said, "Not the footsteps".

"Not footsteps," Luke shakes his head, "History".

"Well," Ben added, "The history isn't very tangible, I guess".

Luke opens his eyes.

"You're not focused," he said, turning himself around to sit down in front of his nephew. Ben opened his eyes as well, "Why is that?".

_That's a weird question. He must know why I'm distracted._

"I don't know," Ben said, "Yeah, I'm not sure".

Luke seemed skeptical. He closed his eyes and again touched the roots beneath him, to feel Ben.

"Han and Leia," Luke said, his eyes still closed, "Your mind dwells on them".

"Well, of course," Ben said, "I miss them!".

"I assumed you would, but this is important," Luke said, finally opening up his eyes again, "You are a Jedi. You are a new Jedi".

_I didn't choose to be a Jedi._

"Only people get to choose," Ben heard inside his head, "It seems like he doesn't think of you as a person. Just as a would-be Jedi".

"This is your destiny," Luke said, sounding inspirational, "It's your legacy. You must push away these feelings that hold you back from embracing your fate. You're stronger than that".

_Am I? And what if I'm not?_

"I started my Jedi training when I was much older than you," Luke said, grounding his voice again.

"You have to wonder whether or not he got to choose that path"

"But you're the last Skywalker now," he continued, "You are meant for this".

Ben reluctantly nodded. It was hopeless to argue against him.

"See, this place… this planet…" Luke told, looking around to the waterfalls and the breeze caused by them, "There are many other religions beside the Jedi, and this place was the home of one of them: the Rier Nurses. They use the Force to nourish nature around them, as well as knowledge. They reach out and are able to feel things that happened in the past, and then tell stories that no one's heard before. For them, it's all about peaceful, harmless growth. Of nature, of knowledge, of conscience…".

_I don't care about any of this. I miss my dad. And my mom._

"The problem with this is that such amazing abilities carry a duty," Luke continues, blinded to Ben's frustrations, "If you can do amazing things in a galaxy that's as problematic as ours… shouldn't you be going out and doing these amazing things? Shouldn't we do whatever it takes to achieve peace? The Jedi do that. The Jedi get involved and fight to bring peace".

"Yeah," Ben said, "I guess the Jedi are really good".

_How long is this training going to last?_

Ben felt helpless, unable to escape. Decades later, he would feel similarly, in Neast. He rolled on his wheelchair to a restroom right outside the room he's felt trapped in for what feels like over a month now. Ben sees himself in the mirror.

_What now?_

Ben grabs a small, porous, vibrating blue sponge from a bucket nearby and submerges it on a bowl of potion beside his feet. He pulls it out and then engulfs the sponge with his two hands. The sponge changes shape to cover every inch of his palms, cleaning even the space between fingers and their nails. While this process takes place, he again looks at his reflection on the mirror.

_What? You're a monster._

"Come on," he mouths to himself, "Be nice today. They've fed you and nursed you. It's an exchange. Like a deal". He blinks a few times and remains quiet, then talks again, "You're not a person who deals, usually. But they're harmless. Maybe some people don't deserve your hatred".

_But don't they? They've made you feel weak. Burnhar, especially. He's been treating you like you're a sick little child. It's insulting. They all think you weak and small and don't see you as a person._

_No, but they do, right?_

_Don't they?_

_I can't think clearly._

_Why can't I hate them? Shouldn't I? This is a bad idea. You shouldn't have even suggested it. You are stronger than this. They should serve you. What do you owe them? Nothing. This is yours by right._

"No," Ben says to himself, "They've taken care of me…".

_What are you saying?_

_I'm…_

"Ben!" Burnhar's voice arrives. Ben lets go of the sponge, putting it back on its bucket.

_Say something that makes him think you're good. That you're getting better._

"Hello, Burnhar," Ben says, turning his head to him, "I see you are all dressed up". Burnhar wears a dirty, baggy jacket and a colorless hat.

"Well, this is my fishing clothing," Burnhar admits, "But I'm glad you like it".

_That was dumb. You are an idiot._

"Actually," Burnhar laughs, "My son and I would go fishing very often. This outfit is very significant for me, when I think about it… And I hadn't even considered it. Thank you for the kind comment, Ben. It's very thoughtful".

_Idiot… right?_

_No… I'm not._

_He seems happy…_

_And that's advantageous for you._

"Are you ready to go?" Burnhar asks.

_Am I?_

Ben takes a deep breath.

"I think so," he says, "Yeah…".

Far away, in the Fegwet System, inside a warehouse, Rey practices moving things with the Force. Poe, Finn, and Rose practice their aim, blasting at the wall, while conversation ensues.

"The trooper we found is currently behind bars back in base," Finn says, while shooting, "Terr, Cade, and Waldenhur are talking to him, trying to persuade him".

"Think it'll work?" Rose asks.

"I hope so," Finn responds, his voice breaking a little, "We have to trust that it will, right?".

"Right," Rose nods, "We won't be everywhere. We need to trust that this is a tide. Each one of us just helps in rising it".

"They need to be inspired," Poe says. He's been the quietest and fired the most and the best, "For the general population, I mean. I think what Luke did in Crait sounds too far away for them. Keep in mind, they've already fought in the past. Luke's legend is great for most planets, I'm sure, but this place has already tried once. They need the inspiration again".

"Well, but Rey isn't Luke," Finn says. Less than a second later, he reacts to his own words, turning to Rey, "No offense, I mean… you know… different people".

"Rey and I talked about it, yeah," Rose agrees, "But she doesn't have to be Luke, really…".

"I don't," Rey says. Her eyes are closed, and she's lifting two tables, and flipping them slowly, in opposite directions, "I don't need to be Luke, but they do need that mythic Jedi example, here and now".

"Go on," Poe says, putting down the blaster, "We're listening"

"That was the big lesson I learned from Luke…" Rey finally completes the flips and puts the tables back on the floor delicately, "He had rejected the Jedi ways when I found him… And he was right about it, as far as I can tell. They were arrogant and indirectly created most of their own problems… not to mention everyone else's…".

"Yeah, I didn't want to say it out loud in front of a Jedi," Rose admits, avoiding eye contact at first, "The Jedi were mostly a scary, creepy police force with no real… accountability. Also, kind of contradictory in that they were supposedly looking to bring about peace… but it was always through violence".

"Yeah… but I think he realized that that didn't mean the Jedi had to die," Rey continues, "They had to be reborn. As a myth, they inspire people. As peaceful guardians as opposed to violent policemen, they are welcome in this war. Not only that, but they end up becoming inspirational in their history… if the Jedi as an institution can learn from its own mistakes, and grow from them… well, anyone can, right?".

"I thought you had departed dramatically after a fight with Luke," Finn says, "Where does this revelation come from?".

"Well, you know he passed away right after Crait," Rey reminisces, "And in that moment, I felt it… his catharsis. He saved and redefined the Jedi, and also saved the Rebellion," she paces around the room, thinking back to the Jedi legends she heard when she was younger, "The Jedi were always painted as mythical, peaceful heroes in the stories I heard when I was a kid. For most of us, I think, realizing they weren't perfect came much later… If I carry that legacy… the truth is, the galaxy needs it now, and it's what I always wished I could be. I can't think of anything else I'd want to do with this gift".

_I mean… it's a tremendous burden, but I have to try. I know we can win like that._

"The Jedi live, then?" Finn asks.

"Yes," Rey says, then smiling like she's secretly plotting something, "And it's time to let this planet know it".

"What's on your mind, scavenger?" Poe asks, now feeling more comfortable in Rey's company.

"The assembly," she responds, "We attend every week and hear them talk about how resistance will be violently repressed. Funnily enough, they're right that it's repressed, but just because we allow it to be".

"We need to be careful with this," Finn warns, "I like where your head's at, overall, but let's be very methodical and precise with this". Rey chuckles.

"We haven't gotten in trouble in a while," Rey says, playfully, "I miss it".

Poe rolls his eyes. Rose raises her eyebrows gradually, looking like she won't stop until she knows what's going on.

"I'm not serious," Rey admits, "Let's go back to base. It's time for the Jedi to come back, and the Rebellion to rise".

Back on Neast, Burnhar rolls Ben in his wheelchair to the outside. The sunlight blinds him at first, but after a moment, he gets used to it.

"Remember, Ben," Burnhar says, near Ben's head, "Say 'hello', 'goodbye', 'thank you', 'you're welcome', 'please', call them by their names, and if you don't know them, ask what they are. Listen to them".

_Seems simple enough._

A three-footed, armless, humanoid creature with scales, wearing only several richly colored and diverse blankets covering his torso, is the first to approach the brooding youth.

"Ah, hello," the creature says, making a small reverence, "I'm Hangred. If you're wondering, I am a native, actually". He looks at Burnhar and the two share a laugh.

_I don't know what I missed. I think I should introduce myself and attempt to make conversation._

"I'm Ben," he says, making a small reverence himself, "Good to meet you".

_That wasn't so hard. I should try to keep it. Maybe if they see me talking to him, they won't approach me. Also, Burnhar implied I should talk to them._

"I'm not sure I understood the comment," Ben says, his eyebrows remaining straight, "Are you or are you not a native?".

"Oh, I am," he responds, "The last remaining native, actually!" he chuckles, "But back in the day, when more people lived here," he says, as he gets beside the wheelchair and thus the three walk as a group closer to the table, "Everyone forgot about that. They thought humans were natives here. Oh, but they weren't. My family would want me to remind everyone of it".

_Family? I can ask about that to keep this going._

"Why is that?" Ben asks.

"We used to be slaves to the colonizing humans!" Hangred says, "My family fought for generations". He then pulls out of the blankets his humble necklace, which at the end has a series of oddly-shaped rocks, "See these totems? Each one embodies one generation of my family who fought to free us. I haven't picked my totem, but ironically… I was the first one to be free… and for what?" his smile fades gradually.

_That's very terrible, isn't it?_

"I'm sorry," Ben says, sincerely, "They fought against the illogical ideas of the past. It's unfair that they ultimately lost".

_I know better than most._

"Kind of lost, yeah," Hangred responds, shrugging his shoulders, "It was the First Order massacre that killed them, actually. Prior to that, things were fair and balanced".

_N-_

"Ben!" the elderly woman who's visited him twice finally sees him. Ben was trying to process the strange feeling he'd just had. He had just drawn attention to how unfair something had been, and then realized it was something the First Order had done, while he was still one of the high ranks right below Snoke and alongside Hux. That brought back memories. Memories of when the entire Hosnian System was destroyed just some two months ago. That's not what he wanted, ever. Not at all.

_I must distract myself._

"Hey, hi, h.-" he said to the woman, "Hey, I don't know your name".

"I'm Nillard," she responds, "or Nil, if you'd like".

"Good to finally know your name," Ben says, attempting not to have a frown on his face, "Now I kn- I know you and I- know Burnhar… and Hangred here…" he starts to breathe faster and louder.

_I never wanted this. The massacre was the first look I had at this. Should I have given up then? Ran away?_

_Are you a coward?_

_This is not what I wanted._

_Or is it?_

_Killing thousands, if not millions. Why? Why is this the path I chose? Why do I want this? Why did I keep wanting this?_

_That's not you talking. That's Han and Leia and Luke. Maybe even Rey._

_Rey…_

_You're a monster. Always have been. Always will be. Don't let anyone make you forget it._

_Rey didn't think so. Neither does anyone here._

_Everyone else does._

_No, but that's because I've killed millions._

_You're a monster. Even your parents thought so. Let go._

_They did, didn't they? Or did they?_

"Ben," Nil says, hunching a little and touching his shoulder. Ben instantly pulls his body away, aggressively, "Are you okay?". Most of the villagers are now quiet.

_No. I want to die. Or… I don't know. I don't know who I am or what I am._

"Do you need space?" Nil asks. Now everyone's turning to Ben, silently waiting for his next words.

_Monster._

"Want to try this soup?" a one-eyed villager asks, with a smile, "It makes wonders".

_Coward._

_I don't want to be this. I don't have to be this._

"I need to go back," Ben says, "This was a mistake". Burnhar tightens his grip on the wheelchair and immediately begins turning it around.

_Monster._

_I can't. I can't lose this battle. I can't._

Ben's face twitches and shakes. He clenches his fists again, and feels the nails on his fingers slashing his hand on the inside. He knows he's about to blow up. He thinks of the sponge and focuses on it, starting to deform it with his mind from afar.

_I can't… I don't… I want this. They're good people. Why do I hate people?_

Against his own impulses, and fighting every muscle in his face's attempt to clench his teeth and keep his mouth shut, Ben summons all of his strength to raise his own right arm and swing it across his own axis, all the way to behind his back, touching Burnhar's left hand. Burnhar notices it and stops the wheelchair. Ben signals him to wait, and turns his head as far back as he can.

"Th- Thank you all for… receiving me…" he says, then patting Burnhar's hand again, thus telling him to resume motion. Ben hears some words of encouragement among the villagers.

"It's all right," Burnhar says, "You were very brave to try to do this, Ben".

_…_

_Monster._

They finally arrive back at Ben's room.

_Get yourself in bed. Tell him to leave, weakling._

"Burnhar, wait," Ben says, right as they cross the doorway, "Wait".

"Oh, right," Burnhar chuckles to himself, "I forgot, you like to get yourself to bed. I'm sorry".

_He knows his place. Good. Now get yourself there, or are you truly weak?_

_No, I'm…_

_A weak monster. You don't belong here. Stop being weak. Get yourself to bed and kill them all while they sleep._

_No._

Burnhar turns to walk away.

"Let me know if you need anything," Burnhar says, "I'll be-".

_I'm not weak._

"No, Burnhar," Ben says, "Please, help me. I'm about to blow up and I need you just to get me there…".

_Weak._

"Sure, Ben," Burnhar says, turning back to the young man and rolling him toward the bed, "Use my shoulder to help yourself up". Ben strugglingly carries himself up, shaking as he does it, and finally manages to turn over and slowly lie on the bed, "That's it".

_I don't have to keep being a monster._

"I don't know if you'll like hearing this, but…" Burnhar says, as he rolls the wheelchair over and contracts it, then leaning it against the wall, "You're different… from the day I met you, I mean… Yeah".

_I don't have to keep being a monster. Why did I ever think I have to be one?_

"Anyway, again," Burnhar says, waving his hands, "You need anything, I'm nearby. I hope you have a peaceful night… oh, and, if you ever need to talk to anyone about anything… we're friends, remember? I've seen your veins," he chuckles as he leaves.

"Yeah… thanks…" he responds. Only now is his breathing back in a regular rhythm and volume, "Goodbye, Burnhar, I'll see you tomorrow".

That night, Ben struggles to keep away the seductive darkness, and simply looks back at his own life. Why he'd chosen the path he did. Whether he had made the right choice. Whether that path was still the one he wanted to be in. He's not able to answer any of these questions, though, since he falls asleep while diving into his thoughts. He dreams of a land that looks like a fairy tale, with vast and lush fields, glamorous castles, long and beautiful rivers, and two star-crossed lovers travelling on a boat. One of them is a knight with long, dark hair and a severely wounded face. The other one is a woman with dark hair. She may look a little like Rey at some points, but not always. They are royalty. There is also, somewhere in this peaceful land, the village Ben had found in Neast, with all of its people. The lovers hold each other's hands, in harmony. But then, the Knight hears his mother from afar, and sees her at an impossible distance. Inexplicably, he tries to run towards her, but can't reach her. His fellow knights are keeping him on a leash. At least, that's what it looks like. Suddenly, the skies turn red, and a giant appears. It's Snoke. Or is it? Sometimes it looks like someone else. The giant engulfs the knight inside his hand, and everything around him burns.

"You're a monster," several voices echo, "You will always be a monster". The last thing he sees is Han Solo and Leia hugging, and the former promising to bring their son home. Right at that moment, an incomprehensibly large red beam of fiery light stabs through the ground itself, as a wild, familiar roar of pain is heard, and Ben wakes up.

Far away, back in Fegwet, Rey and Finn walk through town. Everyone is moving toward town hall for the weekly assembly, and these two young Rebels are currently executing the plot they organized a few days earlier. Rey wears heavily layered clothing, exposing only her eyes and hands. Finn wears what used to be Poe's jacket over a black bodysuit, while carrying a loaded backpack. The two walk through the moving crowd while whispering words of provocative, rebellious hope.

"Today," they whisper, "the First Order falls. Will you fight alongside us?". Some townspeople react somewhat confused. Others look upon the two Rebels with a curious admiration.

Finally, they arrive at the town hall. Hundreds gather around an elevated stage. Stormtroopers surround the entire area, and six First Order officials await on the stage. Finn sneaks out to a dark alley.

"Good luck," Rey says, "Take care. May the Force be with you".

"You too," he responds, as he takes off the backpack and opens it. Rey walks into the crowd until getting right to the center. Most of the ears around her heard their call to revolution either that day or the day before. Rey closed her eyes and felt them. She saw in them the resignation and dread that she once felt in Jakku. The helplessness.

_These people all think they're doomed to this life of oppression. They're not. They can fight for their freedom, make their own path._

"Everyone," one of the officials yells, "Listen up and sit down. The assembly begins".

_Why did I ever think I could do this? No, get a hold of yourself! You chose this path. It's possible. Frightening, but possible._

Everyone sits down; most are uncomfortable. The official starts to talk about control, the success of the First Order, the enlargement of troops on a galactic scale, the greatness and power of Supreme Leader Sidious, and finally, he gets to what Rey and the rest of the Rebels are waiting for.

"Lastly," he says, "Regarding opposition and resistance… these are the roots of chaos, the roots of what the First Order aims to protect you from".

Rey looks around, and locates all of her allies. Finn, Cade, Terr, and Waldenhur disguised as Stormtroopers as part of their perimeter. Rose, Poe, Lyn, Viera, Jut-Ho, Ruppe, Ward Junior, Kotto, Loré, and even Professor Rhuddal are among the crowd.

_There's good in these people. There's hope and a willingness to fight. They just need to know that it's worth fighting for and that they're not alone. Come on. You can do this._

"I remind you, then, that, were any one of you found to be a part of something like this," he says, giving off the tone of an aggressively protective father, "For the greater good of you, it would be our responsibility to enact a punishment… and a severe one".

Rey thinks of all the people who have allowed her to become who she wants to be, by helping her push against her own fears and anxieties. Don't they deserve someone to fight for their freedom?

_I know what I must do._

Rey stands up and takes off the layers of clothing covering her face, revealing a large cape and a monk-like dressing resembling those of the old Jedi legends she's heard. She pulls Leia's lightsaber to her hand from far away and ignites it, then getting into a defensive position. Stormtroopers immediately aim at her, awaiting instructions. Most of the civilians present react by preparing to stand up and run away.

"What in th-" the official asks, as Rey uses the Force and pulls away the Stormtroopers' blasters, except for four of them, and concentrates them at her feet, "Shoot her!".

"The First Order falls today!" Lyn chants, as she stands up. The rest of the Rebels join her chant one by one. The four deserting Stormtroopers fire at the officials' legs, causing them to fall to the ground. Most of the civilians remain in fear sitting down. Some stand up and run away, madly. The Rebels grab the blasters and aim at the Stormtroopers. Most of them surrender.

Lyn and Rey approach the stand and look down on the First Order officials.

"Brothers and sisters," Lyn screams at the crowd, "Join us. United, we can take down their base and free our system!". Rey turns off the lightsaber, assuming the victory.

"They'll kill us again!" a voice among the crowd yells.

"We're stronger," Lyn responds, "The tide will rise in the whole galaxy. They can't fight the tide".

"Your tide consists of twenty people!" someone else comments, "You're out of your mind. You'll make them kill us. Go back home!".

Lyn's expression of hope and courage vanishes slowly.

"We have to fight!" Rey screams, "You deserve your freedom!".

"We'll die fighting for it," another civilian says, "It's not worth it. I rather be alive".

_This can't be! It was supposed to work. We were supposed to win today._

Most of the crowd walks away quickly. Some twenty people do, however, stay behind.

"Hey," one of them says, "I want to fight as well".

Lyn smiles. A familiar one-eyed civilian approaches.

"Hey," he says, "I'm Lauro. I went to your little meeting a few days ago".

"I remember you," Lyn responds, "Come to say you've changed your mind?".

"Come to advise you to save yourselves," Lauro corrects her, "You may still have a shot at surviving, but this uprising was a mistake". He then makes a tiny reverence as a gesture of respect, turns around and walks away, looking around himself as he does it, as if expecting more troops to come along.

"It's all right, Rey," Lyn says, "We still won… we're closer to victory than we were yesterday".

_But it doesn't feel like it._

"I know," Rey admits to Lyn, though she's not sure if she believes it herself.

"We must leave now," Lyn orders, "Finish with the troopers and let's take off".

And so, having gained twenty new recruits, as well as captured about thirty Stormtroopers and six officials and disabled their means of communication, the Rebels walk away from town hall. Rey waits for everyone else to leave and follows quietly, at the end of the caravan.

_We can't be going at this rate! We've been here for over a month and all we've done is gained thirty people to fight with us! We need to free this whole planet now, and I can do it. I took away their weapons, I've done it before. I can disarm their whole base. I know I can._

Rey is lost in her thoughts, but she comes back to real life for a moment, and notices Finn looking at her from within the caravan, curiously. Some time later, they arrive at the base and lock everyone from the First Order in cages, alongside the trooper that almost killed Terr a few days prior. Rey hadn't noticed the sheer magnitude of their base. Though the entrance made it seem like a simple, humble cave, it went deeply underground and had more than enough room for everyone who came from town hall. There were, of course, no windows, so the light on the inside had to come from lights that both current and previous Rebels had installed themselves, most of which had been stolen from the Empire and the First Order. There were many tables spread across the main hall. They'd had dinner on one of them the day they arrived, but the others now were used to draw out different aspects of their strategy. It was impossible that the place had become bigger somehow, but that's how it felt to Rey, who continued to be silent. Lyn then called for a meeting on the main hall. The forty Rebels assembled around her.

"I know not all of you feel the hope that I know I feel right now," Lyn says, "A month ago, we were just seven, and now we're forty… This was only the beginning, but we must not lose momentum. If this happens to get to their base, they will increase security, they will fear… and they should fear, but not so much that the make our progress impossible".

_I hope she has a plan. I really hope there's something I don't know._

"We have all of these Stormtrooper armors at our disposal," she continues, "And as long as we keep this pace of capturing their soldiers, we can be able to disguise their losses. Let me explain… With what happened today, we gained twenty Rebels, and they lost thirty soldiers, but if they don't notice that they're lost, then we grow without them even realizing it. If we are able to maintain this strategy, of growing without making them notice, we will set our world free! We are not waiting until next assembly, no. Let our fellow civilians know we won't be quiet and calm. We're here to stay and to fight restlessly. Before you know it, we'll double the First Order's numbers". The crowd gets excited.

_I don't know if that's enough._

"It may not seem like it, but believe me, the First Order did indeed fall today!" she concludes, and everyone cheers. Rey claps and smiles along, but her heart and her mind are elsewhere.

Ben lies on his bed, his back facing the ceiling. Most of his torso is covered by blankets. His legs, however, are exposed. Burnhar sits on the left side of the bed, with all kinds of medical instruments at hand. Ben's legs are clean, as far as blood goes, but they are heavily scarred and damaged regardless. Burnhar tends to the wounds, carefully. Ben has a tight grip on the mattress with both hands, and, as he buries his head into the mattress, he clenches his teeth as usual, but there's something different this time. The clenching feels much more responsive to the physical pain specifically, and not like it comes from anything inside of him.

_I can take it. I can take it._

_You can't._

_I'm strong._

_You're weak, and a monster._

_I'm…_

_Remember when your parents sent you away because you were a monster? They didn't see you as a human. You took your place. You're better than that. Go back to who you are. Stop being weak._

"Stop," Ben says to himself, out loud. Even though he says it into the mattress, it's audible.

"I'm sorry?" Burnhar responds, "You said you want me to stop?". Ben raises his head.

"No, I'm talking…" Ben says, strugglingly, "… I don't deserve this. I'm not a good person like all of you. I've done things none of you would ever forgive".

Burnhar moves away from Ben's wounds.

"This isn't who I am and this isn't my life, I…" for some reason, Ben starts to sweat, "My mind keeps telling me to be who I am, but that someone has no reason to be here…".

"Why has he no reason to be?" Burnhar asks. Ben is confused by the lack of judgment in Burnhar's tone.

"Because he hates everyone around him," Ben finally spits it out, "and he treats everyone around him as if they hated him, and… he only talks through violence… all he wants is power, but when he has power all he does is destroy and fear that someone will take it away, he… he has no place among you. I fought back my impulses to be like that because I had a use for you, but in doing so I've been feeling like I have no use for him! The brief moments where I forget about him, I feel so… calm and peaceful… " his voice now sounds far from the deep and cold tone everyone is used to.

"So why were you that person before?" Burnhar follows up.

"Because I thought it was right to be like that…" Ben says, "I'm not sure of that anymore… and knowing I can't ever get out of here… I can't go on like I'm gonna go back to my life in two months… plus, everyone betrayed me… I don't even know if I know right from wrong, at this point". Burnhar listens to and savors every word. He wasn't expecting Ben to confess like that, and certainly not right then. One question does come to his head, though.

"What do you want, Ben?" he asks, "Really".

Ben buries his head back into the mattress, his hands now relaxed.

"I tried a few days ago," he admits, "At dinner… to be someone different, and I failed miserably".

"I think you got farther than you ever have before," Burnhar says, "If you want to be different, it won't be instant, and it won't be easy. You'll have to work hard every day, against your own impulses, but I believe you can do it". Ben raises his head from the mattress again.

"And why would you think that?" he asks.

"Well, firstly, because I believe everyone can change," Burnhar responds, "But also… because your heart is already there. Once your heart knows something, you can't ever get it out of your head, not really".

Ben doesn't respond.

_The heart? How weak and pathetic._

"How long do you think this process would take?" Ben asks.

"The struggle to be a better person should never stop," Burnhar responds, "Not even for a single day. Unfortunately, no one can do it for you, but fortunately, the longer you fight, the stronger you'll be". Ben lies down again.

"Thank you for all of this," he says as he closes his eyes slowly, trying to find peace, even if it's short-lived.

In the middle of the night, Rey stealthily exits the cave. Like she did just a few weeks ago, she makes her way to the Stormtrooper base. This time, she has a plan and is determined.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Finn's voice reaches Rey's ears like a paralyzing beam. She turns around and sees Finn, Poe, and Rose approaching.

_Why are they here?_

"Rey, what are you doing?" Finn insists.

"I'm going to disarm them," she responds, "Base by base. Leave them defenseless".

"You didn't think this through," Rose says, as she walks closer to Rey. Her gestures and motion resemble those of approaching a wild creature in fear that it will bite, "If you disarm them, they'll know something is up and they'll actually intensify their control… maybe even bring more troops".

"We have the advantage of surprise, still," Poe adds, "This will remove it".

Rey ignites Leia's saber and her breathing gets faster.

"H- Rey, what are you planning to do with that right now?" Finn asks.

"Nothing, but you have to let me do this!" she insists.

"Rey, we just told you why this is literally a counter-productive strategy!" Rose pleads, "You're acting like a traditional Jedi right now, you know that right?".

_How dare she?_

"And you're acting like…?" she loses her train of thought.

_Or is she right? They're my closest friends and they look terrified of me._

"You're…" Rey turns off the lightsaber, "You're right…".

Rose finally gets close to Rey and hugs her.

"Me doing this would be counterproductive…" she admits, "And the kind of change we want only works in the long run if it's everyone working together constantly… not one or a few people doing the hard work on their own, I…" she runs out of things to say.

_Did I feel so powerless that I almost ruined a month's worth of hard work?_

"It's okay," Finn says, "Your heart was in the right place".

"Well," Poe adds, attempting to light up the mood, "At least we think so… But yeah, you nailed it exactly. We need everyone's heart to be in the right place and everyone to do this".

"It's gonna take a long time, maybe even years," Finn says, "But I think the fight for justice should go on forever… becaus-".

"Come join the hug, dum-dums!" Rose says. And the two thus walk over and join the intimate family reunion.

_Maybe this will work out after all._


	25. The Rising Tide

****Fragments ****_**in itallics **_****are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. ****

**Chapter 25: "The Rising Tide" **

The top of a hill, years ago, in Yavin-4. Luke and three younglings sat before a duel. The young Ben Solo, wielding a shining blue lightsaber, was in the middle of a fight with Xan Jones, who wielded a green sword. Luke observed as his students practiced what he'd spent almost a year now teaching them. Xan had been the last to join the New Jedi Order; he was humanoid, but his head was red, his skin was somewhat scaled, he had only four fingers on each hand, and he had small fangs near his chin. He wore goggles and a small breathing apparatus over his nose and mouth. To Ben, this almost looked like he should be in pain.

The duel began. Ben slashed his saber several times in front of himself, to gain space, to intimidate, and to make his next move unpredictable. Xan had his left arm on his back, and held his saber decisively in a slightly diagonal direction, protecting his head.

Ben made a full spin over his right foot in the blink of an eye, and struck downwards with his sword, aiming at Xan's legs. Xan took a step back and instinctively swung his saber to block Ben's next strike. The sabers met as the two young boys both slowly rose. Luke felt something and decided to intervene.

"All right," he said, as he stood up, "That's enough," the boys separated their sabers and Xan turned it off, "That was a very quick defense, Xan, it will do you well. The Force is with you".

"Thank you, Master Skywalker," Xan responded, making a humble reverence to his teacher.

_And what about me? _

"I'll see you all tonight when we meditate," Luke said, turning to the three boys still sitting down, "You may take some time off now". The three stood up and, along with Xan, began their climb down the hill. Ben tightened his grip on the lightsaber as he faced Luke's back.

_Is this going to be a lecture? _

Ben finally shut off his saber, and Luke turned around.

"You were somehow both distracted and trying real hard to hurt him," he said, "Do you need me to explain why that's wrong or can you tell me that yourself?".

_Trying to hurt him? Why does he say that? _

"No, I wasn't trying to hurt him!" Ben snapped back almost instantly, "We're in a fight, I just fought". Luke leaned in and got closer to his nephew's face.

"You're naturally gifted," Luke said, "and much more so than he is, I might add. These things can sometimes get a hold of you… get the better of you".

_I have no idea what he's talking about… I was distracted, of course… could that have affected without me knowing? _

"How were you feeling during the duel?" a familiar voice in Ben's head asked.

_It's my mom's birthday today… I missed her a lot. _

"Tell him".

"I miss my mom…" Ben confessed, "It's her birthday today and I… well, I miss her". He looked to the ground in shame.

_I feel bad for feeling that way. It's pathetic… and really not very much what a Jedi would do… but like, I can't… stop feeling it? Am I wrong for that? Or am I wrong for feeling it in the first place?_

"Look," Ben's uncle said, "Your mother is doing her duties to the galaxy, to save it. That's above everything else. We are doing our part, and that involves you becoming a Jedi. Do you know what a Jedi would do with these feelings?".

"What?" Ben asked.

"Own them," Luke explained, "You feel these things, but Leia has her own life, her own path, and you have yours. Rejoice for the different paths that the Force allows us to take. Do not miss her; that's selfish. That's not the Jedi way". And, though Luke framed it as an eloquent and wise speech, Ben just felt incredibly small.

_I… don't think that's what owning feelings means… but I don't wanna be… I'm not selfish, am I? Also, I don't remember choosing this path, really. Wasn't it chosen for me to prevent me from going all monster with the Force? If the Jedi way is not caring, I don't know if I want to be a Jedi. _

"Thanks, Uncle Luke," Ben said, attempting to comfort himself through the reminder that this man was, at the end of the day, family, "I know what to do now".

"You're welcome," Luke said, as he turned around and walked away, "And it's Master Luke, remember. Jedi Order here".

_I think I don't like it here. _

Ben walked off down the hill as Luke remained, meditating. Ben was quiet the whole way, but his mind was blowing up. Why was he there? Why was he trying to be a Jedi? This wasn't the first time he felt this uncertainty, but it felt more intense than ever before.

_Should I run away? Go back home, perhaps? _

_No… that's where I was kicked out of… _

_This… _

_This just… _

_This is the worst thing ever! I can't even count on anyone! I don't understand what he or my parents think and they have no interest in trying to make it clear to me, nor do they try to understand me! This is the worst. I want to leave and never come back. _

Ben arrived at his hut and started preparing a supper.

_Why?! I don't want to be here anymore… And I can't even tell Luke because he'll just be all "rejoice for being here and having food while others starve… it's those people that we are fighting for", and also "stop caring about people". This is the worst life I could imagine after such a normal childhood. Or is this still my childhood? I know I don't feel like a child. _

"That's because they hardly even make you feel like a person".

_It is, isn't it? Yes it is. He doesn't care about my feelings. _

"But I do".

_What? _

Ben stopped moving. Throughout the past year, he'd heard this voice several times, but never as anyone outside himself. That last statement finally made the voice someone separate.

_Who? _

"Who are you?" Ben asked.

"I'm your friend, I've been here since I felt what would happen to you".

_What does he mean? _

"I mean I can see your mind. I have for a long time. And I saw your future, too. I saw Skywalker turning you into his little, emotionless slave. I've tried to alert you by making you ask important questions, but I saw what happened today. Luke and your parents just don't get you and they make no efforts to even try to change that. Their entire generation, as well as the previous ones, are what got the galaxy into this terrible conflict which took the lives of my parents".

_Your parents were killed by the Empire? _

"On the day that the Emperor was killed. His death meant nothing. It didn't solve any real problems, but they won't tell you that, they'll just raise you poorly and then die off, leaving behind an impossible world".

_Sure feels like it. _

"It's odd, isn't it? You have to deal with their terrible way of thinking and behaving when you're growing up, and when you finally get out of home, you're left on your own, out in the world, to deal with the messes they created… They're already training you to do that".

…_right, that's true. _

"But what do you feel?".

_I feel like I want to go back and stop Luke from getting to Organa City… _

"Back to your parents?".

_Yeah. I miss them. _

"But they sent you here".

_Well… but… _

"I guess they're your parents. You're right to feel that way".

Ben felt right then something he hadn't felt in a long time. His feelings had just been validated.

_Yeah… I couldn't put it into words, but I guess you understand me better than I understand myself. _

"Ben, I must now leave you for a moment to become just an observer again. Just one final advice: don't let them make you forget how extraordinarily powerful you are. Rather, let their fear remind you of it".

_Thank you. _

"See you around".

Ben felt like the lights got brighter, suddenly. There really was a presence there. Was that experience real or had he just imagined it? After all, the voice only said things about his own mind, right? The voice didn't even identify itself. Whatever it was, he hoped to be able to hear it again. Those two minutes were an escape, even if the subject of their conversation was the very situation Ben yearned to escape from.

Years later, in the distant planet Neast, an old man rolls Ben on a wheelchair out of the small house he's been sleeping in.

_You're a monster. _

_I don't want to hear th-_

_You're weak and unlovable and a coward. Look at yourself. Pathetic. _

Ben feels the weight of the coming torment, and it's really not what he wants, so he instead decides to talk to Burnhar.

"Burnhar, why do you do good things?" Ben asks, "Don't you ever feel like doing bad things?".

"Well," the gentle old man responds, "It's like a whisper in my head, telling me when something is right and when something isn't".

"That's funny," Ben comments, "In my head, the voice tells me to be a bad person".

The small caravan walks by a home, in the front yard of which the little Wille plays with action figures. Ben remembers having yelled at the kid a few weeks earlier.

"Have you always heard this voice?" he asks Burnhar.

"No… like most people, I had my dark times…" he looks to the distance, remembering a distant life, "But you learn things, and you form a moral code… and if you believe in it strongly enough, I can promise you that that code will start yelling at you when you do something that breaks it".

Hangred was pacing nearby, carrying a bag filled with everyone's dried-up clothes.

"Hey, Han!" Burnhar yells. Ben flinches for a moment and turns to his sides, then finally locating his neighbor and regaining composure, "Remember to drop off Carel's clothes first! She needs them to be warm".

"Will do, sir!" the short villager responds.

"Burnhar, you strike me as a very responsible man…" Ben admits, "You're just a person, and yet you try to do your best always to help people… to be selfless".

"Well, we're not alone, Ben," the man responds, "We're all together… and, like it or not, that means we should be there for each other".

"That… that makes sense," Ben responds.

Galaxies away, the Rebellion, lead by Finn and Rose, meets with five mine workers at a table on the dark edge of a bar.

"Look, listen," Rose says, "We're building something. We're taking down the First Order with small steps. In your mine, there are, what? Twenty six workers?".

"Twenty six, counting us, that's correct" one of them responds.

"We have a long-term plan," Rose explains, as she pulls out a large yellow-ish paper and puts it on the table. The paper has a massive diagram with about forty "X"s marked throughout it, as well as some eight circles sparkled in between, "But it's very fragile".

"What is this?" a mustached worker asks.

"These are the planets that the First Order has its hand on," Rose points to one particular X, "This is here. The Xs are the planets in which TIE fighters are built for them, and the circles are the planets in which Star Destroyers are built".

"And how do you know this?" the mustached worker asks.

"I was a Stormtrooper," Finn responds, "Now I'm a Rebel. It may sound crazy, but, trust me, we'll need you to buy it for the next parts of this plan".

"We want to make a large-scale uprising," Rose finally says outright, "Everyone in here fears rebelling because of the retaliation. But think about it. How can they retaliate without ships?".

"I think I like where this is going," another worker says, "I mean, as a game, or something. To do it in real-life… I'm sketchy on it".

Finn chuckles. Deep down, he and Rose are also terrified.

"If we can take control of all of these… say, we take ten to twelve months to have Rebel movements in all of these planets. Then, for the next two months, every worker in all of these planets produces malfunctioning ships, and so the next batch of ships that the First Order gets will all be faulty".

"All right…" the mustached worker nods, and then his eyes open, and, though he looks at nothing, it's clear, he can see the plan already.

"On the other side of the field, we spend those same two months, maybe one or two additional months before, fighting their current ships, as hard as we possibly can, leaving them with as little as possible".

"So they're forced to use only the faulty ones," the mustached worker guesses, "Which makes them destined to fail".

"Exactly!" Rose says, excited, with a grin of hope on her face, "And then," Rose quiets down again, "Having Rebel movements on all of those planets, we organize a general uprising, and all of these planets gain their freedom…". Rose then sits back, in satisfaction. The other four workers are slowly coming to the same expression as their mustached friend.

"And so," Finn adds, to make the plan sound more attractive, "with one move, we simultaneously free these planets, get rid of most of the First Order's ships, and build a massive Rebel movement. This is how we win".

"Sounds pretty effective," one of the workers admits, "But a little hard to achieve".

"Yeah," Finn nods, "the timeframe we gave is maybe a little too optimistic. The key is for people to really believe".

"Exactly, "Rose adds, "They might make us think we're alone and powerless, but the truth is that if we stand together, they have no way to fight us. There are more of us, and what we fight for is real".

"All right, Rebels," the mustached worker says, "I think you made the right choice. I hope you keep being smart in how you sell this".

"Thank you…" Rose says, humbled, "Rebels". She and Finn stand up, leave some money on the table, and walk away, putting on hoods to cover their faces.

"It was probably a smart choice not to tell her about the Stormtrooper side of the plan," Finn says, discreetly, "Even I'm not totally sold on it, yet".

"It's the same principle," Rose responds, "Turn them around silently, then blow it up once we're everywhere".

"Yeah," Finn says. They both look to the ground as they exit the bar and a Stormtrooper walks by, "But we know not all Stormtroopers are easy to turn".

A few days later, in Neast, Burnhar is about to roll Ben into a small, local gymnasium.

"You'll be fine, Ben," Burnhar says, "Everyone in there already thinks you're a good person. No one in there hates you". Ben takes a deep breath.

_I like it here. I like these people. Come on. I have to convince myself. You like them. You want them to… not hate you. They already don't hate you. Just… _

_No, you're a monster. Murder them the second you get in. _

_No, I don't want that life anymore. _

_Kill everyone in here. What, are you weak? No matter. Your life isn't worth living. How about you k- _

"I'm ready," Ben says with his eyes closed, trying to convince himself by saying it out loud, "I'm ready". Burnhar makes a slight proud smile and then rolls Ben through the door, opening it. Inside the gym, there are three people: one of them is a humanoid with tiny eyes, blue, leather-ish skin, breathing pores in his cheeks as opposed to a nose, and claws on his fingers. He lays on a bench near the left wall and lifts a box over his chest. On the other side of the room, a pale humanoid with small horns over her head, a comparatively little nose, and purple lips and fingertips, exercises her legs with a very rudimentary-looking machine. In the middle of the room, a third humanoid, with arms that branch into tentacles, works on building another machine. Ben and Burnhar approach.

"Oh, you're here," she says, as she unbends, revealing to be about twice as tall as Burnhar, "I'm working on something new, but I got what you asked, Burn". She then points to her left, where there are two parallel bars with adjustable height.

"Time to get you back on your feet, Ben," Burnhar says, leaning into Ben's ear, "I hope you're ready". Burnhar starts to roll Ben toward the bars, but Ben remembers Burnhar's words.

"Hey, I don't think we've had the pleasure," he tells the tall villager, "I'm Ben".

"Pleased to meet you, Ben. I'm Duni," she says, "I'm in charge of everyone's health in the village. Over there," she points to the villager lifting the box, "Is Ymaure. And, over here," she then points to the opposite side of the room, "That's Voloyruedau".

"Oh," Ben responds, "Oh, you're the medic!".

"Medic?" she asks, looking confused. Then, she realizes what Ben means, and chuckles "Oh, no, that's Alexxo, my… former husband".

Burnhar parks Ben right in front of the two parallel bars.

_I should try to sound empathetic and kind. _

"Sorry to hear that," Ben says. His lips flinch a lot afterwards, as he puts his hands on the bars, and feels uncertainty, and a fear of falling.

_I could use the Force to hold myself up, I guess… _

Ben slowly but surely uses his arms' strength to be on his two feet again, but he's not allowing himself to rest on them. Rather, they're left hanging while his arms do the heavy lifting. His entire upper body shakes.

_No, I have to really get back on my feet. _

"He and I still talk," Duni explains, "The first few months were tough. We weren't great for each other, but it's funny, we grew and a different kind of love grew. We have dinner together, just the two of us, once every week, and it's really fulfilling. Sometimes love needs to be given time to change and grow".

"I'm g-" Ben begins to say, but he suddenly trips and falls to the ground over his left arm and shoulder. Everyone present reacts less than a second later. Ben agonizes on the ground, and throws insults at the air.

_You can do nothing right! _

"Ben, are you okay?" Burnhar asks, approaching the boy and wanting him to calm down, "Count to ten".

"Don't tell me what to do, you weak corpse!" Ben responds aggressively, pushing off Burnhar's hand. Burnhar looks shocked and disappointed, but he doesn't walk back even one step.

"Count to ten in your head," he insists.

Ben is breathing like he just finished a race.

_Why? Alright, one, two, three… why did…? _

_Did I call him a corpse? _

Ben slowly gets back to a more regular breathing rate.

_Alright, four, five… _

_No, shut up, weakling, you were finally getting back to being who you are. Kill him now. Kill them all. _

_No! No! My head! _

Ben cries in frustration and hits the ground, the bars, and then even tries to kick the wheelchair away, but it only hurts him more. He ends up in fetal position, crying quietly.

Burnhar looks upon him with sympathy, and sits down beside him. The remaining three villagers return to their tasks, though Duni does bring over tissues and a glass of water

"I'm… I-" Ben can barely talk. His nose is running off and his face is all messed up, "I'm sorry, Burnhar, I really am… I don't know if I want to be alive anymore, I don't think I can".

"Well…" Burnhar rests his hand on Ben's right arm and gently rubs it, "I don't believe this is an appropriate time for you to make such a decision. Let's go back home. We'll come back later".

Burnhar helps Ben get up as everyone remains quiet. He rolls Ben away as he says goodbye to his fellow villagers and they wish Ben comes back soon, stronger.

Burnhar and Ben are silent on the way home. Ben's mind is exploding. After a long journey, they get back to the room and Burnhar helps Ben lie on his bed.

"Would you feel better if I stayed here, nearby?" Burnhar asks. Ben just shakes his head, distracted, and Burnhar turns around to leave.

"I have to kill myself," Ben says, "I have to". Burnhar walks back to the bed, slowly.

"Why do you feel that way?" he asks.

"Because I've done terrible things. I should be punished. I… made the galaxy a worse place".

"Do you want to die?" Burnhar asks.

"I think so," Ben responds, "I'm bad for this galaxy".

"Well, but let me ask you this:" Burnhar gets closer, "Is there nothing worth living for?".

"No," Ben responds almost immediately, but his eyes get lost then, "Or… I don't know".

"Are there any good things out there?" Burnhar asks, "Any you can think of?".

_Not in my life. _

"I don't know…" he responds, "I should go to sleep. Don't worry, I'll still be alive tomorrow".

"All right," Burnhar stands up and walks away, "Try to look back and think of things that you like, that you think are good or… beautiful. Good night". He almost shuts the door behind him, but instead he takes a step back for one final thought, "If you think you deserve to die because of what you've done, because of the person you were… you're not doomed to be that person anymore. If you think that person should die, then so be it. Kill him. Bury him. You don't have to let him kill you". Then, he shuts the door and leaves.

Ben falls asleep almost immediately, and by morning, all he can remember from his dream is Kylo Ren and Darth Vader destroying a Rebel base on a cold planet. At one point, the Death Star fired its beam near Vader, accidentally killing him, but despite being dead, in a voice that didn't sound very robotic, Vader warned Kylo Ren that he still had time.

Back in Fegwet, five captured Stormtroopers were inside a cage on the Rebel base. Finn and Cade arrived suddenly, bringing along nine chairs. Terr and Waldenhur arrived briefly, and thus the nine former First Order troops all sat down, in two parallel groups: those who had become Rebels, and those who were prisoners.

"What should we call you?" Finn asked them, "What would you like to be called?". One of them responds almost immediately.

"AX-7-," but he's interrupted by one of his partners.

"I was called Gali," he says, "Long ago. I think my parents called me that. That's what I'd like you to call me".

"Thank you, Gali," Finn says. The other four prisoners look at their partner. Two of them are genuinely shocked, while the other two seem to be understanding and following, "Anyone else would like to be treated as a person?".

"I think I want to be Rober," one of the two understanding troopers says, "I once met someone with that name on a planet we had to invade, and he convinced me to let him go".

"Why?" Cade asks.

"Well, he had come from the same planet I did," Rober explains, "And lost his children the day I lost my parents, which I can only remember glimpses of… I guess I thought he might be my father. Not really, though… but he could've been. And here I was, hunting him down. It just didn't seem right".

"Did it make you question anything about the First Order?" Terr asks.

"Absolutely," Rober responds, "Doubts I remember having at first. After all, we were essentially programmed from birth, sometimes abusively, to follow the First Order blindly. I wondered ever since, and I'm glad you pulled me out. I'm joining you. I'm taking down the First Order alongside you".

"What the h-".

"Me too," Gali adds, "The horrors have gone on for too long, and I'm tired of being a prisoner".

"I'm not sure what I want my name to be," the other understanding trooper says, "I'm open to ideas, but I'm done being a generic code".

"What is wrong with you?"

"Maybe they're right, AX…" the last trooper says.

"They are the enemy!"

"Based on what? For the record," he responds, "I want to be Davis".

"Have you all lost your minds?"

"My father's name. He was a Stormtrooper," Davis recalls, "From the times of the Empire. He deserted by the time it was about to fall. He fell in love with a woman in Towo, whom he'd met when they invaded a few months prior. They'd fallen in love, but he wouldn't give up his duty. He'd gone back to the Empire, but quickly realized he didn't want to be there anymore. Not really. So he found support among the troops, and all together, they crashed a Star Destroyer and escaped. He lived on with my mother. They got married. I was born. They told me this story when I was very young and actually told it again and again several times," Davis drops a few tears discreetly, trying to hide it, "The First Order got to us relatively late. I was seven. They made me think they were good. For a while they convinced me that my father betraying his 'duty' had been wrong… but no, he was right. Of course, he was captured, if not killed, actually, later on… and I want to honor him and my mother… Fight this curse which has wounded the galaxy for too long".

"Bu-" the last trooper is the only remaining prisoner. He can barely come up with any response, "This is the way things are… I'm… we've… have we been wrong this whole time?".

Terr can't keep looking at him. He felt this pain himself. Change always comes with the acceptance that what came before can't continue, and this isn't easy for everyone.

Outside the cages and in the main area, Rey, Lyn, and Rose stand around a table with more maps and a few books. Professor Rhuddal then joins them.

"Right, so, what's our next target?" Rey asks.

"Well," Lyn responds, "History showed that people on this planet, though hopeless, are also conscious of injustice and have anger toward it stored deep inside, mostly because most people in one way or another are directly involved in the mining work. But that's not true of all planets, and that's where it gets troubling".

"And then even with this planet," Rose adds, "having gone through its history, we had to try that failure of a first gathering, and then that first uprising, and then we even promised another uprising for the next day, before we came up with the definitive plan, and even that plan isn't a sure fire. It depends on countless other plans we haven't made working out in places we don't know".

"Yeah," Rey says, nodding as she comes to the realization that the stakes will get higher with each planet they start a movement on, "that's rough…".

Lyn pulls over a map of Fegwet, showing the main mining areas, with data about numbers of workers.

"We need to visit the other side of the planet," she plots, "Get everyone on board".

"Okay, let's be pragmatic about this," Rose says. She takes her eyes off of the table and looks at the emptiness before her, as if she's visualizing everything she's about to describe, "Very broadly speaking, there must be only four or five variations of the kind of planets we'll find. This is very much a planet with resented, radicalized workers, because the majority of the population is the working class, and of mines in particular. We know how to fire them up, how to give them hope, how to get them to unite. All right, that's one kind of planet. Let's look for a place which may be structured differently".

"Right," Rey says, "A workers' uprising here is almost a general uprising. But, say…" she sees planets on one of the many labelled maps, and carefully analyzes numbers, "Panta Filla… only fifty percent of the population work on the manufacturing of ships… Now, they must be incredibly oppressed, sure, but what about the other fifty percent?".

"I don't know," Lyn responds, "But I like where your heads are at. We need to know how to mobilize all kinds of people, or as many as possible. Whether we like it or not, I'm sure there are people who don't feel hatred toward the First Order".

"So, Panta Filla it is," Rey says, then looking at Rose, "Is it?".

"I think so," Rose responds, "Seems like it".

"Good," Rey smiles, "So, all we need i-" her eyes divert, as she feels something, or someone.

"Rey?" Lyn asks.

_Is she here? Why is she here? _

_The First Order will go after her. _

"Leia's here, somehow," Rey says, shocked, still processing. When they landed, Stormtroopers presumably awaited their arrival outside. Leia could have a few hours, at best, but if they're captured, matters will get really complicated, "They'll detect her ship or something". Rose rubs her forehead in stress, trying to come up with a solution. Lyn paces around the table, clenching her right fist, wondering how to proceed.

"Wait," Lyn finally realizes, "We have Stormtroopers!".

"Right!" Rey says, "All right, I'll try to approach their landing zone, by foot, just in case. The troopers had intercoms of some kind, right? Maybe we can tell the First Order's station that it's not a threat or something, and-".

"Go!" Rose yells, "We'll figure it out!".

Rey turns around dramatically, waving her massive yet light cape, and runs off out of the base. Rose and Lyn turn to the rest of the base. Lyn asks for the communication technology disabled and taken from the troopers days earlier. Rose looks for Finn and finds him sharing some Stormtrooper stories with fellow Rebels.

"Finn," Rose says, "Come with me". Finn rushes to her side and the two run off to the cages, where Lyn awaits.

"All except the four who seem to have turned already are inside here," Lyn explains, "There are thirty one Stormtroopers. Surely one must know how to solve this".

Rey opens the cage and the three of them walk in and close it behind them.

"Important people are entering the atmosphere and we need to prevent the First Order from capturing them," Rose explains, "We have your radio devices. Help us save these people".

"You're wasting your time!" one of the caged trooper yells.

"I can turn it on and synthesize the station for vigilance," Davis says, from outside the cage, "And we could talk to them, but I don't know the exact procedure for this. I'm just a field trooper".

"Does anyone in here know the procedure?" Lyn asks. The prisoners remain quiet for a moment, and then a familiar face raises his hand. Finn remembers him. He was the only trooper who hadn't turned to the Rebel cause hours earlier. Finn rolls his eyes. Of course he knows! The one trooper whom they couldn't get through to.

Rey is running faster than ever, clenching her teeth, jumping from lower to higher terrain, and then from higher to lower. It seems like she'll get there in time.

_If I get there in time, we may not need the distraction. I just… _

And then, a familiar sound. She turns her head and sees a First Order Settler; a ship designed to give a warm and violent welcome to intruders. In looking back, Rey misses a step and falls to the river running in front of her, wounding her right knee.

"No!" she yells, in pain, "Get up, come on!".

Almost on the other side of the planet, a small cargo ship searches for a landing zone. In the inside, thirty familiar Rebel faces wait patiently for events to unfold. General Leia opens her eyes. She lost communication with Rey. Chewie notices this and howls calmly at her, in doubt.

"I'm not sure," Leia responds, "She's still here".

Back in base, Davis hands Lyn the radio, which they now all hear out loud.

"Has it not identified itself?" a voice asks.

"Negative, commander," a different voice responds, "We have deployed and are on our way. Orders are to fire, correct?".

"I confirm," the first voice says, "Blow them to pieces".

"Please, do something!" Finn begs the trooper who knows the procedure, "These people are trying to save the galaxy! And they're going to get killed because you're too cowardly to accept that you could be a better person".

"They are almost in sight," a voice over the radio says, "Orders are still to fire?".

"You literally have a chance to become a better person right now!" Finn insists, "Please!".

The trooper remains sitting down. His forehead looks wrinkled, like he's conflicted. Every trooper around him focuses on him, waiting to see his reaction.

"I serve the First Order," he says, "Not you".

Finn growls in frustration.

"The First Order doesn't care about you!" Rose says, "If this falls apart and they find all of you, they'll just have you die on another battle for no real reason. You're worthless to them. Are you worthless to yourself?".

Rey stands up strugglingly and limps forward a few feet, then falling to the ground.

_I can't see the ship… but maybe if I can feel it, I could stop it… _

She closes her eyes and tries to narrow it down. It's moving too fast.

_Come on. If you could keep up with Leia a few minutes ago, you can do this. Find it! _

But, though she can momentarily sense it, it's beyond her to get a hold of it, especially with the physical pain of her knee bleeding off.

_Leia, I'm sorry… _

Finn grows desperate and grabs the radio himself.

"Base, I am confirming. We are the foreign ship. We are First Order, too". His mouth shrinks. He struggled to say each and every word. Rose stares at him. The two fear profoundly.

"Confirm. What is your mission code?" a voice asks.

"Uhh…" Finn responds, "I was not given one…".

"I'm afraid we cannot confirm your allegiance without either a mission code or the landing code for this system. If you have neither of these, I'm afraid, even if there are some of you inside that ship, we must take it as a threat and respond adequately".

Finn's mouth opens and nothing comes out of it.

"We found them, sir," another voice says through the radio, "We're engaging".

"No!" Finn yells. Some of the prisoner troopers look like they're feeling shame. The higher-ranking trooper sees this and looks into himself as well. The voice over the radio just confirmed Rose's point that their lives are less than numbers to the First Order. Everything in his head breaks apart. What's the point of continuing to be a Stormtrooper? What's the point of anything? Surely, his life must be worth something.

The First Order ship shoots its first blast at the Rebels' ship. On the inside, Chewie falls to the floor, and several Rebels seem to have given up. Leia also falls off balance.

The trooper stands up decisively and takes the radio from Finn's han, then speaking into it.

"Yes, this is AX-7791. The landing code is two, zero, one, seven, T, H, X, five, one, four. The ship is First Order. We will welcome it. Call for a return to base. Stop the attack".

"Understood," a voice says, "Returning to main base".

"I apologize for my fellow trooper. He was slightly misinformed and is on his first mission outside the city. You know how things are. They spend so much time in their bubble, it takes time to get them adjusted to things".

"Don't I know?" a voice responds, "We confirm. The ship is not intrusive".

Finn sighs in relief and hugs Rose. The two let off all the air they were keeping in. AX-7791 turns off the radio.

"Yeah, okay," he then says, "I understand".


	26. New Beginnings

**Fragments **_**in itallics **_**are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.**

**Chapter 26: "New Beginnings" **

Years ago, in Yavin-4, a young Ben Solo laid on his bed, facing upwards, with three blankets covering him. It was, after all, a cold night, even having a fireplace nearby. He had a hard time falling asleep.

_Are you there? _

"I'm always here," a voice responded in his head, "How are you, boy?".

_Cold and tired. Mostly tired. No, mostly lonely, really. I really just need a hug right now, but it's been a long time since I've felt one of those. _

"You want to feel loved. That's fair. Isn't your teacher literally your family?"

_He is, but… _

"But… what? But not on this planet? It looks like he sees you as a monster as well, if you ask me".

_Well, I don't think he does. He's my uncle, you should have some respect… _

"I should have some respect? I, who listens to you and supports you despite being unable to be with you? I should respect the guy who treats you like garbage? Am I wasting my time here?"

_That's not what I meant- _

"Take care".

_No, wait! _

_Snoke! _

"…".

_No, no! What have I done?! He was the only one who cared about me! Genuinely cared! What th- _

Ben hit the wall beside him.

_What is wrong with you? He's the only one who treats you well! You're an idiot! _

Galaxies away, Snoke himself had just found the first men to train for his own Order of knights. With Luke orchestrating the return of the Jedi, and Snoke slowly building the rise of a new Empire in the shadows, he needed some kind of personal defense and, more importantly for his own ego, he needed disciples. Thus, in the distant planet of Exegol, where the Sith were essentially born thousands of years earlier, Snoke sat down on a throne inside a disfigured but haunting castle. Before him, three young men stood, wielding swords.

"My Knights…" Snoke said. He wore a very eccentric and extravagant, bright red robe, which made him look like royalty. Coupled with it, he wore black clothing underneath. His face, though already bald and wrinkled, was virtually symmetrical, with no noticeable wounds or disfigurements. He sat on the throne, looking upon his disciples, and knowing each step he took was definitive. If he could turn the young Ben Solo and destroy the Jedi, while at the same time installing his own personal police of Knights with a religious backdrop, he could very well replicate the order and control that the Old Jedi Order once maintained, but for his new Empire, for the First Order, "This is the beginning of your real life. Everything before today was just your path to get here, but we must leave it behind. A new world, a new order approaches… you were all born and raised in unfortunate circumstances. This allowed you to see how cruel and chaotic the world is. And it is up to us and our new order to bring meaning to all of this. The galaxy needs to evolve".

Years later, Ben has breakfast in the kitchen of the small house he's been resting in for the past month. It seems very humble. There's a small table on the center, surrounded by four chairs -though one of those has been moved aside, to make room for Ben's wheelchair-, and the walls are almost entirely covered by furniture holding either food or the utensils and tools necessary to cook it. Soon, Burnhar walks by the door frame and notices Ben, so he walks in.

"Ben," he says, "Surprised to see you here. I was just going to wake you up".

"I'm glad you're here," Ben has been eating some sort of glassy breads himself, but beside his dish, lay another one with more of them. He grabs this second dish and puts it on the seat perpendicular to him, inviting Burnhar to eat alongside him, "I made some Bolles for you".

Burnhar walks over and sits down beside the youth.

"Now, I don't know their taste yet," Burnhar says, as he grabs a fork Ben had laid for him nearby, "But if they're not good, don't take it too personally. Cooking is not synonymous with character".

"That's all right," Ben responds. He's stopped eating, despite his dish still having plenty to grab. Instead, he just stares at Burnhar, as if trying to look past his pupils. Burnhar notices this as he chews his first bite.

"Everything okay?" he asks. He then cleans himself up with a napkin he pulls out of his pocket, "It's really good, by the way. Very sweet".

"Why do you do this?" Ben asks.

"I'm confused as to what exactly you mean," Burnhar responds, "You don't mean eating".

"You care about people around you more than anyone else I've ever known," Ben confesses, without an inch of dishonesty, "How? Why?".

"Well, because it's the right thing to do. We come into this world, not even by our own choice, and we have to live alongside other people, millions of people! We're not alone. We can't be. We have to be there for each other".

"Go on…" Ben says. He finally grabs another bite from his bread.

"Before all of this, when we were under Imperial Rule… I tried to be a responsible citizen. I knew the hardships of life from my own experience and I tried my best to help people deal with them. People trusted me and wanted me to be the governor, and I realized that perhaps there was a lot that I could do for the world if I agreed," Burnhar stands up and grabs a cup, which he then fills up with some greasy-looking red milk, "See, people thought I had a knack for understanding the roots of the problems of everyday life, and for proposing solutions. Gladly, a lot of people studied and grouped and discussed and worked hard to be able to do the same, but they still campaigned for me and with me. Somehow, against all odds, I won, and I served as governor for ten years". Ben nods in understanding so far. Burnhar comes back to his seat and gets comfortable again.

"So, you know, if you have any kind of special skill or advantage…" Burnhar explains, "I believe it is a moral responsibility to use it to make the world a better place, for people".

That sounds a little like the skeleton of the Jedi philosophy as outlined by Luke all those years ago.

"And, of course, right now I may not be governor, but my time as governor allowed me to see how a lot of things work in a structured civilization," he continues, "So it was only natural to help this little family we had here become sustainable. It isn't always easy, of course, but wouldn't you want someone to help you if you were the victim of injustice?".

Ben nods, as he processes all he heard.

"This notion of trying to make the world a better place… of responsibility and what not…" Ben says, "I've noticed you don't really have a wife or children here. Is that because the duty of making the world a better place necessitates not being distracted by emotional attachments?". Burnhar's eyebrows raise like never before, and his eyes are wide open.

"No, no, no, absolutely not," he resopnds, "I used to think that, a long time ago, but no. You can't be a person in charge of helping people without yourself having intimate connections with people… You can't have one without the other. Those attachments are what allow you to know what others feel, and it's only knowing how they feel that you can make the best choices to help them. Severing attachments leads to dehumanizing, leads to saying something like 'Go ahead, sacrifice those ten people, so long as the other ninety live'".

"Is that not how it should be?" Ben asks.

"If you're talking about fruit, ninety fruits are more valuable than ten," Burnhar says, "But you're not talking about fruit".

"So if you have to choose between saving ten people and saving ninety?" Ben asks, "What would you choose?". Burnhar tightens his lips and shakes his head.

"That's not the right question to ask," Burnhar says, "Why are we at a point where we have to treat lives as if they were baskets of fruit? What can we- what should we do to stop being at such a point?".

"But how would you deal with the immediate situation?"

"I live in such a way that the world will never force me to make such a decision," Burnhar responds, "I'm aware that it is a reality for some, elsewhere, but what that tells us is that there are bigger problems that need to be addressed, so that it stops being the reality for anyone. We need to be better".

Ben does not respond any longer. After that conversation, they talk much more casually. And, across the galaxy, in the Fegwet system, the Rebellion prepares for its next move. Over the past week, every single Stormtrooper they'd captured had come to realizations about wanting to be free, and most of them had voluntarily decided to additionally become a part of the Rebellion. It was hard not to turn. Realizing the trauma they had gone through, as well as the trauma they had caused on others, realizing that the best hope to end this cycle of nightmarish violence was not to run away from it or repress it but to fight it, realizing that they had the power to save future generations from the pain they were both victims and perpetrators of… and to see each other go through similar processes… everything favored their switching paths. There were now approximately ninety active Rebels in Fegwet, counting both civilians and deserter Stormtroopers. It wasn't yet a tide, but it was a drop of water. Enough drops can change a current. Hope abounded.

Rose entered the base, followed closely by ten Rebels. Leia, Lyn, Chewbacca, and Finn awaited on the now-commonly-called the "Table of Maps".

"It's working!" Rose says, drawing their attention. She arrives at the table and leaves a list of names and signatures, "Now can I tell them my plan?" she asks Leia.

"Go ahead," she responds, "You're free to show off". Lyn rings a small alarm bell for everyone inside the base to listen. Everything quiets down and the attention centers on Rose.

"See," Rose explains, "Now that we have former Stormtroopers on our side, they can help us get out of minor issues with the First Order should the situation arise. So I thought, why not start spreading the word? Get people to know and to hope, and to want to participate. We tell them about our long-term uprising, how far we've come in so little time, with roughly two hundred mine workers having already agreed themselves, and with the promise that this won't be serious enough to get them in trouble for a long time, and, hopefully, by the time we get to the actual uprising, we'll have enough Stormtroopers on our side for people here to be safe. And it's working. Thirty seven people signed over the course of three days," Rose says, shocked, as she shows the list of names and signatures, "Of course, that's thirty seven out of a hundred and twelve we talked to, but it's good, it's progress. The more this grows, the easier it is for it to keep growing". People cheer and clap briefly. Finn searches for Rey from the table and locates her sitting down near a corner, as she, too, smiles.

In one corner, R2-D2 beeps in excitement.

"You too, Artoo?" C-3PO asks, "What are a few hundred against millions of Stormtroopers? We're still doomed".

A moment later, as Rey broods on her own, Finn approaches.

"Hey," he says, "Why don't we talk?".

Rey stands up.

"Hey, what's going on?" she asks.

"What's going on?" he repeats, "What's going on is that we're more hopeful than ever and you look like you wanna throw up. I'm worried, and you've always been quiet when something bothers you, so how about a change of pace with that?". Rey just tightens her lips and turns her pupils elsewhere, "Why don't we go grab something to eat and you tell me what's going on?".

Come on, you're not alone anymore. Stop trying to push yourself back into a life that isn't real anymore.

"All right," Rey says, "I am hungry". The two walk out of the base.

Meanwhile, back in Neast, Burnhar rolls Ben on his wheelchair through the village. Some of the villagers wave at them and they wave back.

"Burnhar, I've been thinking about what I told you the other night," Ben says, "About killing myself".

The two arrive at a small house with a thick door.

"What have you been thinking?" Burnhar asks, as he then knocks the door, "By the way, remember, Ferrin doesn't understand our language, he can only communicate through feelings".

"I picked an excellent time to start talking about this topic, then," Ben remarks, "Hopefully this won't overwhelm him".

The door slides open and a creature like Ben has never seen before walks out. He is as tall as Ben's knees when he's sitting down. His body is almost spherical, with no legs. His two arms are as thin as a pencil, and so are the three fingers on his hands. His face is part of the spherical body, with the eyes and the mouth at the very top. He wears a robe that covers everything except his face and hands. His skin looks soft and pale, though it has a slight purple hue. He looks severely worried as he opens the door and sees Ben. He guides the two guests to a table, as he rests on a seat with adjustable height opposite Ben and Burnhar and elevates it to reach the table. There are clothes and sewing machines on the table.

"Ferrin discovered his talent for sewing when he was very young," Burnhar explains. The host nods along as he grabs a piece of cloth and dynamically sews a sleeve onto it, "Unfortunately, the massacre destroyed any universal translator he could've used to understand our language. His physiology doesn't allow him to detect vibrations, so he can't hear. That makes matters complicated, but he's never let that be a real problem. I can't tell you how much I'd like to be able to feel as much as he does. It's hard to tell what people feel sometimes. For some reason, people repress their emotions a lot. It's baffling to me".

"Speaking of which," Ben comments, "I was gonna say…" Burnhar turns to him and nods, while he grabs pieces of cloth for himself and for Ben to work on, "I think dying is good for me. The truth is that I can't live with the weight of my own actions, and it would be best for everyone to just put a halt to this whole thing".

"What, your life?" Burnhar asks.

"Yeah," Ben responds, "End my life".

"So you couldn't think of anything worth living for?" Burnhar asks.

"I don't know what the point of that would be"

"Because what you want is peace," Burnhar says, "But the problem is that you think that that peace is incompatible with your continuing life. You think you can only find that peace through death, but it's not true. You told me you have a voice inside your head that tells you to go the wrong way. This is just another tactic it has. It sees that you can change and doesn't want to allow that… It wants you to be either bad or dead".

"Oh, come on, how can you even-" Ben responds, but is interrupted by Ferrin stretching his arm and touching him on his chest. Shockingly, Ben doesn't react aggressively. His breath just softens and his eyes drift away. He no longer sees his surroundings. Now, all he sees is that old house in Organa City, as he dines with his parents. The droid 5-06 is there, too. Then, he senses himself sitting on his mother's lap, while she's in the living room arguing politics with fellow senators. Out of the blue, he's with Han Solo and Chewbacca, in the woods, exploring. The two of them argue about who gets to take Ben along for their respective path. Next, he sees a silhouette of a man with dark hair choking the woman he loves in a volcanic land. Thousands dead and then the man feeling regret, getting to see his son one last time, and wishing he'd turned earlier, atoned for his sins, and found peace with his family. He then sees himself, solid as a rock, choking Rey in an icy forest, with his parents already dead on the ground. He feels it. They didn't want Ben to be corrupted, not just to protect themselves, but to protect him from losing himself. He remembers Han Solo trying to save him and Leia believing he wouldn't kill her when he had the chance. They were misguided when they raised him. But they loved him. He then sees Luke on a salt planet saying he's sorry, admitting his mistake rather than accusing Ben of his crimes. He sees all the times Luke played with him before taking off with him. He sees Luke wrestling with himself, having difficulty teaching the strict Jedi way, but doing it because he thought he was doing the right thing. He didn't want to hurt Ben. He felt pain as well. He, too, was misguided. Yet he, too, deeply loved him. Ben knew it. Ben had been right in feeling betrayed by all of them, but they also had motives to do what they did. He had felt that love from all three of them, at times, but clouded it with an overwhelming cloud of hate. Still, though, it was there. And it wasn't gone forever, it could be salvaged. There was also Rey. She cared for him. She believed in him and even rebelled against her master out of pure faith in him. She believed in Ben every single time, and he kept letting her down, pushing her away. But when their hands touched, he realized that there was love to feel with her as well. He had both lived a terrible life and done terrible things, but he was able to remember now all the times he felt life was worth living.

Then, Ben came back to the real world. Ferrin pulled his arm back, with a moderate smile on his face.

"I didn't know you could do that," Ben says. He still looks to be in the middle of ecstasy, "Thank you…".

The sewing continues, as Burnhar exchanges looks with Ferrin, and ben remains quiet, thinking of what his mind just experienced.

In Fegwet, Rey and Finn walk into a dinner and sit down opposite one another on one of the very few tables that isn't already occupied. It's loud enough that they can talk about whatever subject they'd like.

"But, really, I think I was a slave since I was eight," Rey recalls, "Not how people usually imagine slaves, I imagine, but… circumstances made me a slave".

"I understand, yeah," Finn responds, "We're a couple of former unconventional slaves, I imagine. Now…" Finn waits for a few seconds, hoping that Rey will speak up, "Tell me what's going on".

_I have to. I have to. I have to. Could be nothing; surely is nothing. It's still best to externalize it. _

"I guess I'm just… a little caught up in part of the Jedi myth…" Rey says, "It's going to sound incredibly selfish, I know, but… I almost wish this whole thing was just my fight. I started out just wanting to know where I fit in, hoping someone would hand me my place, but then I realized I can't live like that. I have to choose my place… but part of me, I think, wants that place to be the savior, you know?".

"But you can rationalize this, right?" Finn asks.

"Yeah, no, I can understand that this has to be collective, and it's good that it's collective," Rey explains, "But… I don't know, I just wish I saw my part in this a little more clearly. Right now, it just seems to be vaguely 'being a part of the Rebellion'… and that's fine, that's important, but… I don't know… I guess this whole notion of being the last Jedi really got to my ego or something. I felt like a complete idiot when I was going to welcome Leia and the Rebels and I couldn't make it halfway even… it just maximized these feelings".

"I'm sure things will be cleared up," Finn says, "Who knows? Maybe as we get closer to the actual uprising, you will find something that suits you more comfortably".

"Or, you know," Rey responds, "I could just not be so self centered in my quest".

"We should or-" Finn is interrupted. A humanoid with ears the size of his head -which is the size of Rey and Finn's heads- and green skin sits down alongside them, and aggressively enters the conversation.

"So, it's you!" he says, admiring Rey and Finn's faces. The two look at each other nervously, with their hands vigilantly preparing to strike if he threatens them somehow, "You're the ones proposing to take down the First Order, aren't you?".

"What do you want?" Rey asks.

"Oh, I just wanna contribute to the discourse, friend," he responds, "My name is Uritia. As you can see, I'm cursed with hearing everything," he points to his large ears, "And I heard you speaking the other day on a mine. I recognized your voices here today. You've been firing up everyone around here, haven't you? Telling them to fight and so".

"They want freedom," Finn says, "We're just presenting a new shot at it".

"Oh, I know," Uritia says, holding back laughter, "I'm not here to question your methods, I'm here to tell you that your goal is bad. More accurately, it's dumb and pointless," he rests back on his seat, "Yeah, I said it".

"So you come here, knowing we're trying to save the galaxy," Rey says, "And literally the sole purpose of your intervention is to give us your discouraging thoughts?".

"Real dirty work, man," Finn says, shaking his head, "Very bad first impression you're giving us".

"If you don't think this fight will work," Rey adds, "Just stay out of it… I mean, you'll be supporting the First Order if you do so, but that's really the easy answer".

"Oh…" Uritia responds, "I assumed my points were clear. See, you're all wrong not because I think you'll lose, though that's still very likely, but because it's not something worth pursuing. Think about it. Most people in the galaxy are not in the First Order, and yet it keeps thriving. You gotta wonder why… It's because people don't care. Or they're bad. Or cowards. Any number of these, really. Do they really deserve to get rid of something they've supported themselves through passivity and impartiality? I think not. We are exactly where we deserve to be.

"You're wrong!" Rey responds, aggressively.

"And also intrusive," Finn adds, "We just came here to eat".

"Are you creating new people?" Uritia asks, "I don't think so… Everyone who you hope will be a part of this already existed and lived in this system for a long time, and they never fought to take it down, not really. So yeah, I'm not wrong. In all honesty, you should take over Starkiller base and just kill us all. The whole universe".

"Starkiller was destroyed," Finn says, "By people who rebelled and fought".

"Was it really?" Uritia asks, "I wasn't aware. Anyway… death to all of us! The majority is okay with all of this suffering. Might as well kill us," he then stands up and puts his seat back in place, "Just some food for thought. I hope we'll see each other again". And he leaves.

"What was that?" Finn asks.

"I don't know," Rey responds, "But I really want to believe he's wrong".

"Me too," Finn nods, "Now let's… let's actually order something".

_Finn looks confident. I hope so do I, but I can't help wonder. What if this is a mistake? What if we take down the First Order and it's just substituted by another dictatorship? He's right that we've allowed awful dictatorships to take control a couple times already and for far too long, but… is that all he's right about? How can we make sure it doesn't happen again? Is it even possible to do so? _

And the answer will keep Rey guessing for a long time, still. Across the galaxy, back in Neast, Ben stares at himself in the restroom mirror, sitting down on his wheelchair. He continues thinking of all the feelings he had, of all the memories that made him consider that maybe life was worth living, after all.

"What is wrong with you?"

_You should be dead. _

"No, why?"

_Remember what you really want: power… _

"Why? What for? It's meaningless! No, in fact, it does mean something: it means the death and suffering of millions, and that's not okay".

_You were okay with it when the New Republic was destroyed. You were okay with killing your father._

"No, I wasn't".

_You're weak! _

"I don't want you inside my head anymore. You want me to die, and life is worth living it".

_It deserves to be lived, but not by you. _

"You're wrong".

_You don't deserve to live. Look at the mess you've made. _

"I'm more than what I did in the past".

_Are you, really? _

Ben remains silent, struggling to breathe.

"My fate isn't sealed".

_You don't deserve to live. _

Ben now felt that he had to prove to himself that he deserved to live. If his actions in the past were what held him back, perhaps it was as simple as becoming a better person in the future. Hopefully, one day he would believe that he deserves to live.

Back in Fegwet, a few days later, there would be an emergency assembly. The Rebels organized and had their Stormtroopers be in the town hall in advance, while easily taking down and capturing, one by one, most of the troopers who were originally supposed to be there. By the time the assembly was actually starting, there were only about ten genuine First Order Stormtroopers and three officials on the stage. In the crowd, there were about fifty Rebels among the three hundred or so who attended. Rey again awaited her moment, sitting down wearing her robes. The highest ranking official stepped up to start the assembly.

"First of all," he began saying, "As you may know, this is an emergency assembly. We heard some reports that there wasn't one last week, and that the one before had had some sort of… odd ending. No one dared explain what this meant. So… if there's any of you who knows… and he doesn't speak up right now… make no mistake, it will mean pain and death".

Rey turns to one of the Stormtroopers on their side from afar, and he subtly nods at her. She grabs her saber, preparing to stand up and start the strike, but then, the official has another announcement.

"There's something else," he says. Rey remains sitting down, "With joy, I must now let you all know that the First Order has officially finally destroyed its opposition and consolidated itself structurally," Rey is paralyzed.

_What does that mean? _

"After finally destroying the corrupt and inept Republic, the First Order took some time to expand its reach, free the planets that were affected by its damaging influence, and organize itself internally. Snoke's vision didn't go far enough, but under the leadership of our new Supreme Leader Sidious, we've made a significant step forward," Rey continues to wait. A part of her knows what he's about to say next, "Your patience has allowed us to get here, but make no mistake, it has also meant a significant human cost. The long-abandoned son of General Leia Organa, Ben Solo Organa, gave his life destroying the last remnants of corruption in the Republic. And what a title, right? 'Republic'… let us remind you what it really is, for we are henceforth to be known as the United Galactic Republic".

_Ben died… destroying the Republic? Is that a lie or did he live on after I last saw him? _

"You will be notified of further democratic procedures through the next few days," the official concludes, "Long live the order of the United Galactic Republic!".

_What? What now? _

_Act! The plan goes on! _

Rey stands up, takes off her robe, and lights up her saber, pointing at the officials on the stage.

"Your branding will not change anything!" Rey yells, "The First Order falls today!".

Slowly but surely, the Rebels stand up and join her chant, as most of the Stormtroopers surrounding the assembly aim their blasters at the stage. Some of the loyal Stormtroopers play along, assuming that this is an order of some kind, and two or three simply remain confused. Many people's heads turn and their mouths open in awe. The officials surrender and are taken in by the Rebels. The loyal Stormtroopers are disarmed and captured as well. Lyn against gets on the stage and essentially echoes Rey's words, that this idea of a new Republic being formed is a lie to cover up their true face. History repeats itself; most people just leave in fear, but several stay and decide to join the Rebellion. They all go back to base. Rey intentionally avoids talking to her friends, as she continues to process what just happened.

_What does this mean now? Is Ben even really dead? No, focus! Focus on the bigger issue! _

Back in base, the captured troopers are put inside a room with most of the rebelling troopers. Outside, in the main area, Lyn updates everyone on the apparent changes regarding the First Order. Rey awaits, sitting down all curled up, against a wall. Leia approaches her and sits down beside her.

"Why did you come here and how did you know we were here?" Rey asks. She's been wondering this for a while, but hasn't really felt comfortable with the idea of talking to Leia until now.

"Oldocia used to be completely free from First Order influence," Leia responds, "But a few days ago, a Star Destroyer came and they took over the planet, for its resources I imagine. We managed to escape with a ship. I guess we should've known they were expanding". Rey expresses her understanding just by raising her eyebrows.

"I don't know what to feel, lately," Rey admits, "And with these news, it's even worse".

"They know exactly what they're doing," Leia says, "With the story of Ben, they get the people who follow me to think they're on the right side, and they get the people who hate me… for my ties to Darth Vader and for abandoning my son… to see him as a noble martyr, so, again, it tricks them into thinking the First Order fights on the right side".

"I didn't know people hated you," Rey admits, "I couldn't imagine".

"Well, as I said," Leia explains, "My heritage and… what we did to Ben… were revealed publicly years ago to discredit me as a politician… It was effective".

_I sometimes wonder if Leia has ever been happy. Or peaceful. _

"Do you think Ben is alive?" Rey asks.

"I don't know his fate," Leia responds, "But I don't think what they told us should be taken as confirmation or denial of his death. It was a political move, and only a political move".

"But do you think he's dead?" Rey insists.

Leia holds back tears and presses her lips, looking away from the young Jedi.

"I haven't felt him in weeks," she admits. She then turns to Rey and tears come out, "My son is gone".

Galaxies away, in Coruscant,a meeting was about to take place. In the old Senate Hall, about a thousand beings from all kinds of diverse backgrounds assembled, and in the center of it all, Ducan held himself on a levitating platform.

"You have all been summoned here today to join us in our new path. You have been chosen to represent those planets on which the United Galactic Republic has its reach. To maintain our economy and keep the galaxy moving, we must balance things. Your duties will be to keep your respective systems under control. There can be some opposition. In fact, there should be. It will help you turn your people against a common enemy. Consider yourselves now a part of the higher class. You will be wealthy, just like we are, and just like our financiers are. As long as we keep ourselves on top, this Republic will remain alive. We will have order. Use your wealth intelligently; get your people to be on your side even if you don't care about them. You will be advised on some tactics for this briefly, after this session has ended. We will meet here every fifty days, or on otherwise extraordinary occasions. I will summon you. Any policy question you have, ask our cabinet, made up of former First Order officials. Remember, your top priority is to keep this system going. Keep the wheel spinning. As we speak, all of your respective systems are being informed of these changes, but it will be up to you to make it tangible".

And yet, as a new Empire is consolidated under the guise of a Republic, hope lives. Far away, on the Stormtrooper training camp in the Dumo system, it's nighttime, and a spark is about to be lit.

A loud noise comes from the dormitory. The midnight guard hears it and walks in aggressively, but the lights don't work. They can't see what's going on.

"Troops, report!" one of the guard's troopers orders.

Upon hearing no response, he and the rest of the guard walk further into the area. It's dead silent and the light from outside is still not quite enough to illuminate the inside.

"Why is no one-"

"Stormtroopers of the midnight guard," Rex's familiar voice says in the dark, "You are surrounded". The guard turns to look at the dormitory's entrance, and it is now covered by a row of armed Stormtroopers.

"What?" one guard trooper asks.

"We don't mean any harm," the sound of dozens of charged blasters travels around the room. The troops are waiting in the dark, "but if you resist we will shoot. Drop your blasters and surrender, or things will get violent".

"What is going on here, RX-2008?" the head of the guard asks, pointing with his gun at him.

"We're rising up to take on the real enemy: the First Order," Rex responds, "and if I were you, I wouldn't shoot, because you're surrounded by my brothers, but even if you do shoot, it won't matter. Our collective scream against tyranny doesn't end with my death".

"I guess we'll find out," the head of the guard threatens, getting in position to blast, but before he can act, blasts come from the darkness and destroy his blaster. The rest of the guard troopers load their blasters, but he raises his hand immediately, to order them to stand down and not fight back, "All right, we rather be hostages than dead".

"Oh, commander," Rex says, as he paces toward his superior, "That is exactly the way they've trained us to think. Spoken like a true First Order Stormtrooper". Rex then turns to his brothers in the darkness, "Disarm them".

There are dozens of training facilities across the planet, separated by miles of terrain resembling a devastated city, and each one of these facilities has a small tower for communication. However, only one of the facilities has a major communications center, to speak for the whole system, and it's the same one that in its underground has the energy reserve system to power the whole planet. Dameson leads a squad into said underground and they quietly and gradually take down every Stormtrooper guarding it, making sure to only immobilize them. Rex, Nino, and hundreds of other Stormtroopers move in the shadows to approach the communications center on this facility, and, finally, the lights go out, and the group makes its move, rushing forward.

"What's going on?!" an official asks inside the center. He's inside a big yet claustrophobic room, with dozens of tables, machines, and many windows surrounding it. There are about a hundred officials in there, everyone wondering what happened.

"Send a squad to check the powering system!" another official says.

"Send them how?" an older official asks in response, "We have no means of communication".

Somebody knocks on the sliding door.

"Is everyone okay in there?" a Stormtrooper asks, "I'll get you out of there". He says as the door starts to be blasted from the outside of the room.

"You're going to ruin the door and it isn't cheap!" an official howls, but before he can even finish the sentence, the door has been blown away, and Stormtroopers begin entering and pointing at their superiors. Rex comes in and blasts near the highest rank present, causing him to take a step back, in fear.

"What the hell is going on here?!" he asks.

"Superior commander Alva," Rex says, walking towards him intimidatingly. At this point, eighty Stormtroopers have entered the room, and a few dozen more await outside, "This is a new beginning for our system".

"Traitors!" Alva responds, "The loyal troops in this facility will come here and take you down!".

"They're already here," Rex responds, "Right there, there's Yvan, Rain, Bunno," he says as he points to Stormtroopers on his side, "J, Sillian, Fox, Disoben, Herlaw… they're all here. Of course, you'd know if our lives meant anything to any of you".

"How dar-?".

"It's all right, we know it's not entirely your fault," Rex continues, "We've been trained to see ourselves in this way, but we can train ourselves to be different".

"You will be killed!" Alva says, as he gets on his knees and a trooper handcuffs him.

"But we won't!" trooper Disoben yells.

"We will stand," Fox adds, and then he repeats, "We will stand!".

All of the troopers chant alongside him, as the officials are taken in to be locked up and hopefully turned. The troopers are rising up.


	27. The Throne of the Sith

****Fragments ****_**in itallics **_****are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. ****

**Chapter 27: "The Throne of the Sith" **

Years ago, Luke had tracked down the Throne of the Sith, in Exegol, and flown with a small fleet of voluntary Rebel soldiers. After a series of religious crimes across the galaxy committed by a legion called the 'Knights of Ren', Luke had taken days off of the training of his students, of which there were now a total of twelve, and discovered their location. This was an important mission for him; after all, since the fall of the Empire, he'd been trying to keep fighting for the Old Jedi Order's legacy, and everything pointed to this legion being the legacy of the Sith. Ideally, he would've wanted to strike with his own students backing him up, but he felt they weren't ready.

In Yavin-4, however, the young Jedi apprentices had a few days off to relax, but Ben Solo was no ordinary Jedi apprentice. At this point, he'd been training under Luke's arm for about five years, and there was very little left of the initial sympathy he felt for Luke, which had allowed him to forgive the somewhat odd and preoccupying Jedi teachings. Now, his uncle was simply another man who didn't really care about him personally, and more importantly, he was the product of a failed system. Since the moment that Luke told Ben he would be leaving, Ben told his only friend in the galaxy that this would be a chance to see him, and this was finally the day in which the long-anticipated meeting would take place. Ben and Snoke had planned to meet inside one cave far away from the area where training usually took place, and Ben was just arriving. There was already a fireplace lit inside. Ben saw it and found it curious.

_Snoke? _

"I'm here," the familiar voice said, this time not coming from the inside of Ben's head. In fact, it's unclear where it came from. He's hidden in the shadows, "I must remind you. I'm not too pleasurable to look at".

"It's okay," Ben responded, "Please, I want to meet you. You're my best friend".

Snoke walked out of the shadows deeper into the cave. He wore black clothing and pulled his head out of a hood. His face wasn't injured, but it was big and wrinkled.

"You're tall," Ben said, "I hope one day I'm tall as well".

"So I've been told," Snoke responded, "Even among my people, I was tall".

The two sat beside the fireplace and talked for hours. Snoke did not lie to him, but he also didn't say everything. He didn't, for example, say that he was essentially trying to bring back the Empire, but he did talk about his exploration across the galaxy, discovering things about the history of the Force, the Jedi and the Sith, and how he had come to become extremely powerful. He talked a lot about Ben's possibilities; that he could be as powerful as Snoke, if not more so, but that it was ultimately his choice and no one else's.

"I can't tell you which path to take, Ben," Snoke said, "You can decide whether you want to follow an old and failed doctrine or to allow yourself to be your own person, to embrace your power and carve your own path".

Oddly enough, in a way, years later, Ben would still be in these crossroads of fate, but at this point, it seemed like a fairly simple choice.

"I know the truth," Ben said, "The Jedi are not good. They never were. My uncle will keep trying to… adoctrine? What's the word?".

"Indoctrinate you?" Snoke asked.

"Exactly," Ben responded, "He will keep trying to turn me into his little soldier, but I don't have to follow him forever. I can make my own path after I leave here".

"I'm very proud of you," Snoke said, smiling at the young boy, and resting his arm on his back, patting the young Jedi. Ben leaned over and rested on Snoke's arm. He felt like he could genuinely trust this man. He was the only one who understood him. He was the only one who even tried to understand him, Ben felt.

"I don't remember ever feeling this happy," Ben confessed, "I am so grateful to have you and to be your friend".

"Want to take a look at the impossible things you would be able to do if you embraced your power?" Snoke asked, dismissing Ben's emotional confession.

"Yeah," Ben responded, "Show me".

Snoke stood up and gave Ben a blaster. Then, he walked back a few steps and turned around.

"Fire at me," Snoke said, "Don't even count down, just do it".

"What? Why?" Ben asked, "Is this a trust test or something? Is the blaster dysfunctional?".

"I don't need a trust test," Snoke said, "We can trust each other, I already know. Just shoot. You trust me, right?". Ben didn't want to risk losing Snoke's friendship, so he reluctantly aimed the gun at his back and fired, trusting that his power would save him.

"Fire," Snoke said, "Do it".

Ben closed his eyes and fired the blaster. He opened his right eye slightly and saw his friend still standing, but the back of his face was lit by the red blast suspended in the air, still vibrating. The blast had stopped mid-air. Ben opened his eyes and was still shocked, but thankful that his friend was alive.

"Surprised?" Snoke asked.

"How are you doing this?" Ben asked in return.

"I'm not doing this, Ben" Snoke responded, "You are," then, he moved out of the way and the blast hit the wall.

_Was I doing it? I just felt the tension. _

"Your instincts are more powerful than even you realize," Snoke said, "But, again, you have been made to doubt yourself".

Ben gazed at his hands, marveled.

"I want to learn the ways of the Force," he said, "Really learn them. My life's already been decided to be following that path. At the very least, I'd like to follow it for real. Not just listening to some old man's useless teachings".

"Well…" Snoke said, looking away from Ben, as if he felt shame, "I was hoping you would realize it on your own," he lied, clearing himself from agency or guilt, "But… I've already trained some men… They are known as the Knights of Ren…".

Ben was left speechless, unsure of what to respond. Weren't they the enemy?

"But they're the bad guys!" Ben said, flexing his fingers uncontrollably.

"According to whom?" Snoke asked, "According to the man who can't even think of you as a person with feelings and ambitions of your own? The man who makes you feel awful for having emotions? Do you trust his judgment?".

"What about their terrible crimes?" Ben asked, "Do they not exist?".

"I can't believe you're not willing to talk like a real person," Snoke said, "What an incredible waste of time this has proven to be".

_What? What's going o-_

"I thought you, of all people, would know to ask and not just make assumptions," Snoke said, taking a few steps back, "I thought you knew what it was like to be misunderstood". He waved his hand and turned off the fire illuminating them.

"No, wait," Ben yelled, "Snoke!". He ran toward the corner where Snoke stood a moment ago, but it was empty.

_He's gone. No. No. No. This can't be. No. No. You're alone again. You imbecile. Can't you do anything right? What is wrong with you? _

Ben continued to look for Snoke in the cave, growing more and more desperate.

_Come on, where are you? Where are you? _

_You stupid, useless kid! You ruined the only good thing you ever had! Nothing matters anymore! _

Ben threw a chaotic tantrum against the wall beside him, and then almost involuntarily used the Force to peel off a layer of rock off of another wall.

"Please come back!" Ben yelled, "Don't leave me! I have no one!".

Ben suddenly tripped on a rock and fell all the way down to a cave within the cave. His arms and knees were damaged, and he couldn't keep in his tears. He wrestled against rocks around him, as if they were attacking him. He cried, feeling lonelier than ever. He couldn't count on his family. That he already knew. But now he couldn't count on Snoke either.

_I did this… what is wrong with me? I'm useless… I… I need help… _

"Help me!" he yelled.

_I don't want to live in this world anymore. I feel so small and meaningless. I hate this. I hate this so much. I want to explode. _

His cries for help continued to be in vain. Of course, no one could hear him inside the cave, but he had remembered Luke talking about how Jedi are present even when they seem to be absent. It was even possible for them to manifest if they'd already died. They could come back from the world beyond worlds, as Luke called it.

"Help me!" he screamed, "I'm begging you… please be with me!".

But no one responded. The Jedi had always failed him, and they failed him again.

"Ben?" a somewhat robotic voice echoed inside his head.

"Who?" Ben asked.

"Ben…" the voice said, "I heard your cries for help… I'm here".

"Who are you?" Ben insisted.

"You've heard many different names," the voice said, "I'm your grandfather".

"My g-" Ben said, "Grandfather?".

"I used to be called Anakin Skywalker," the voice said, "But when I finally let go of everything that held me back, I was known as Darth Vader".

Ben's heart skipped a beat. He had heard of Vader. As a kid, all he knew was that he was some kind of warrior for the Empire who'd been dead for a few years, but under Luke, Ben had learned that Vader had been a Jedi of the Old order, who was seduced by the dark side of the Force, and then brought back to the light by Luke himself, and that, just minutes after this happened, Vader had passed away, after his last act was to help Luke defeat the Emperor. And this was his grandfather?

_They hid that from me? Why? I don't understand. _

"Because they don't want you to know the truth," the voice answered, "That it was the Jedi who made the real mistakes. That I had simply realized their mistakes and decided to turn against them. You can see their errors now as well, but they want you to stay on this old, regressive path, as opposed to letting you be whoever you want to be".

"But…" Ben said, "I still don't get this… why would they lie?".

"Because they think you will follow my footsteps," the voice said, "Remember when you eavesdropped on your parents talking to Luke all those years ago? They said you had Vader in you. They were afraid of you following my path as you were. They all lie".

"They're all wrong…" Ben said, "They're just trying to keep the world as they have it… lying and repressing and… abandoning me…".

"Don't let them get into your head, Ben," the voice said, "Think for yourself, and remember, if the choice goes against what they teach you, it may just be the right choice".

"Yes, grandfather," Ben said, with tears coming out of his eyes, "And… I have to ask you… should I follow the dark side?".

"You're younger than I was when I realized I wanted to," the voice responded, "The only think I can tell you is to become who you're meant to be, whomever that may be".

Ben shed another tear, but this time of relief. He knew what he had to do. Quickly, he got back on his feet and climbed back up, then running to the nearest exit from the cave and yelling into the skies.

"Snoke, please, please, please take me back! I will give myself to the dark side! I will! I promise!".

"I'm here boy," the voice said, "I'm with you".

"I want to embrace my fate," Ben said, "I'm done with this life. My parents threw my away like garbage to train with an ignorant, emotionally distant man, so that I'd fit into their dumb idea of the world and not achieve my true power. I don't trust or care about any of them. I know what I have to do now".

Years later, in Neast, Ben would try to go to sleep after what seemed to be arguing with himself in front of a mirror. A part of his mind kept echoing discouragement.

_You don't deserve to live. _

_Yes, I do. I'm not a monster. _

Then, Ben apparently wakes up on the bottom of a dark pit that seems to have an infinite way up. There are red lights coming from everywhere, but with no real source. There seem to be trees, and snow, though it all looks hot. And then, Snoke. He's bigger than he was in the holograms he used back in Starkiller Base. His eyes shine red as well, and he crushes the ground with his steps as he slowly and seemingly endlessly approaches Ben. Ben sees his lightsaber buried in the snow and pulls it toward himself, and it flies out into the hands of Rey. In the distance, he hears many familiar voices.

"See you around, kid," his uncle's voice echoes repeatedly. Kylo Ren's helmet materializes on Ben's head. Rey ignites the saber, in white as opposed to red light, and slashes it as she approaches Ben intimidatingly.

"No," he says, defenseless, walking backwards to avoid her attacks.

"You're a monster," he hears Rey and Snoke's voices echo in the distance, "You've always been a monster".

"No!" he yells, helplessly. Snoke fires lightning at Rey, who blocks it somehow. Darth Vader touches Ben's shoulder and hands him his lightsaber.

"The throne of the First Order!" Snoke's voice echoes, "The throne of the Sith!"

The Knights of Ren arrive and fight Rey, who fights them back somehow.

"Help me!" a young Ben Solo's voice echoes far in the distance, "I'm begging you, please be with me!" he yells.

"I see his mind, I see his every intent!" Snoke's voice roars. The Knights manage to beat Rey, leaving her bleeding in the snow. And behind Rey, backed into a corner, are Leia, Han, and Luke.

"We don't want you," Han's voice echoes, without his mouth opening.

"He's a monster in the making," Leia's voice echoes, also without a source.

"It's hopeless," Luke's voice echoes, again not coming from his mouth.

"Let your anger drive you" Snoke's voice orders him, "As it has for years".

And Ben remembers the damage the three people closest to him did when he grew up: sending him away from his parents, forbidding him from feeling, giving up on him, and trying to kill him. He ignites Vader's lightsaber, and the light looks like a furious fire. Vader's breathing is suddenly heard everywhere. He walks toward the four people he hates the most in the whole galaxy, the four people who saw the light in him and had fought to preserve it, even if the way in which they did felt hurtful and was ultimately counterproductive. Why? Why can't he hate them anymore? He feels Han and Leia's pain when they let go of him years earlier. He feels their fear that they may not be good enough to raise a son who gets to be happy and free from threats. He feels the regret they felt every day when remembering they had sent their son away, and the pain they felt every time He feels Luke rejecting the old Jedi way but still teaching it due to not realizing his rejection was valid and meaningful. He feels Luke constantly arguing with Obi Wan's spirit, trying to convince him that the old Jedi way doesn't work. He feels Luke's regret and pain when seeing a young Ben Solo behaving like a Jedi from the old Order, stoic and unmoving. They made bad decisions. They were shortsighted. They weren't trying to hurt him. They were trying to protect him, even if it wasn't the right way to go about it. And they had realized it. Didn't they deserve a second chance? Didn't they deserve compassion and forgiveness? Rey had shown him compassion and forgiveness in spite of his own actions. That was all he needed. All he wanted. And now, he was having a second chance. A normal life. Without a whisper of darkness coming from the outside, without anyone assuming that he was a monster, without anyone telling him that he was wrong for having emotions. The rage that clouded his ability to feel and understand those around him had faded. Leia, Han, and Luke could be forgiven. It was Snoke that wanted to use him and hurt him. It was the Knights of Ren that wanted to use him. It was the memory of what was done to him that kept him in constant pain. But it could change. The cycle could be broken.

The Knights of Ren open the way for Ben to kill his parents, his former teacher, and the woman who had reached out to him when he pushed everyone away. He approaches as Snoke's echoes continue to haunt him.

"They see you as a monster," Ben halts in front of them, "Show them how wrong they are!"

They had been wrong in thinking of him as a monster before he'd chosen a path. But he understood them. And he had been wrong in turning to hate and embracing the resentment he felt. But he understood why it was wrong. He knew all of it now. It was time to end this cycle of pain, and Ben could do it. He was willing to forgive them and save them, and he was willing to change himself. They were worth saving. And so was he. Ben lifts Vader's saber to strike true, and tosses it into the woods. He then grabs his own lightsaber from Rey's hand, igniting it in the brightest and most powerful white light the galaxy has ever seen. The Knights are disintegrated by it. Snoke is blinded and falls to the ground, shrinking in the process. Vader's armor vanishes, revealing Jedi clothing and the face of a scarred, but proud older man. The chaotic echoes and whispers of a twisted past are silenced. Kylo Ren's helmet collapses. Ben holds the triumphant, healed lightsaber up in the air, as it lights up everything around him.

"We will always be with you," he hears, though he's not sure if it was said by Luke or by either of his parents.

The pit's surroundings are burnt away, revealing land, the sky, clouds, mountains, towns and cities, people of all ages and backgrounds…

The light has returned, and with it, the Sun causes Ben to wake up in the village. He feels severe pain in his stomach, and strugglingly hops on to the wheelchair and rolls to the restroom. Burnhar arrives a few minutes later and finds the young man throwing up.

"Oh, man," Burnhar chuckles, "I think you're gonna need clean clothes after this".

Far away, in Coruscant, a meeting took place in a spacious room. There were several chairs and tables surrounding a stage. Some of these spots were occupied by a committee of about two hundred First Order officials, now labelling themselves as public officials for the United Galactic Republic. The remaining spots were taken by the richest people in the galaxy. In total, there were approximately one thousand and five hundred people inside the room. Amidst the conversation, General Hux and Supreme Leader Sidious walk toward the stage. Hux stands nearby, while Sidious becomes the center of attention.

"Welcome, everybody," Ducan says, "I'm glad we were able to get all of you to come. We have big plans in mind".

"What's the Empire up to?" one of the wealthy men asks.

"No, we are the United Galactic Republic now," Ducan clarifies, "And we are in the process of making that believable for the majority of people in the galaxy".

"What's your title?" another wealthy man asks.

"I'm the Supreme Leader," Ducan responds, "But you are my committee. If we want this order to stay in power for as long as possible, we need to truly turn it into a system. Legislative aspects, executive aspects, economic aspects, judicial aspects… these will all be decided in this room with your participation, once every thirty days or in special, emergency occasions. Our new Republic relies on your investments, monetary and otherwise, and so if we want it to continue, your interests are of the utmost importance to us".

"So we don't tell anyone about this, right?" a wealthy man asks.

"You can say these are meetings to settle important matters with the Republic, such as paying off taxes or receiving regulations of some kind," Ducan suggests, "It's not true, but it doesn't matter. As long as we all tell the same story, they'll buy it and… if we give them shallow concessions from time to time, they'll even stand up for us".

"And we will always be protected?" another one of the wealthy asks.

"That is correct," Ducan assures, "Protecting the people in this room and the establishment that they stand for will always be the priority here".

Some time later, Ducan leaves the room, and Hux walks closely behind him. They're on a closed, quiet, almost claustrophobic hallway that leads to the Supreme Leader's office.

"You're confused, wondering about something," Ducan says, "You can ask". Hux takes a deep breath.

"I'm confused by the power dynamics here," he says, "I thought you were the Supreme Leader, but actually I was, but actually only as long as I fit into your ideology, but now it turns out it's them?".

"Hux, those people will rarely make any real, significant demands," Ducan responds, "It's true that we need their investments to keep the Republic going indefinitely. They have no reason to ask for anything that would seriously compromise what we're after".

"How do you know?" Hux asks, stepping forward, ahead of his superior, and then facing him upfront, causing him to stop, "How can you be so sure you're not compromising the ideas you're allegedly pursuing?". Ducan gives a half-smile. His time before becoming the Supreme Leader gave him incredible historical perspective.

"They can't have beliefs that go against ours," Ducan states, like it's an indisputable matter of fact, "Because they have no beliefs. All they want is to retain their power and status, and so do we. Now, let me go through. I feel the Knights may have accomplished their mission finally". Ducan walks past Hux and reaches his office. It's small and humble. There is a large window, framing the city outside, and there is a closet on the opposite wall, next to the entrance. In the exact center of the room, there's a carpet for meditation.

Ducan sits down on the carpet and closes his eyes.

"Yes…" he says, "They found the Throne… they're on Exegol as we speak".

"You've never been to this place?" Hux asks. He walks by the window and looks out at the messy and depressing city.

"I've heard of it," Ducan responds, "But my transportation capacities were limited before joining what was the First Order. The Knights of Ren felt my calling and tracked me down. They themselves, as a legion, originated on Exegol under Snoke".

"So they had been there and still they took almost two months to find it?" Hux asks. The window is very far from the ground. Surely, pushing a normal person off it would end in death. Ducan was surely not a normal person, though. Could Ducan feel what Hux was thinking at this time?

"No, they hadn't been there," Ducan clarifies, "Their predecessors, the previous Knights of Ren, the very first generation, started out there, but Snoke gave up that place after Luke Skywalker found it". He couldn't be immortal, could he? Now that an entire committee and the ground rules had been established, anyone could be the Supreme Leader.

"And what interest do you have in Exegol?" Hux asks. His mind, though, can only think of maneuvers. There's a blaster on his belt, always. Should he shoot at him first and then pull him over? Blast the window first, then blast him, then pull him over? Maybe also blast him as he's falling off? Throw himself out with him? No, he thought, why was that even crossing his mind? He wanted the power for himself, not just to remove him, right?

"It's mostly ceremonial and symbolic," Ducan responds, "The birthplace of the Sith and the Knights of Ren. I'm also thinking it could serve as the home of a temple for a larger legion of Knights. Religion helps regimes like this one stand. The Jedi as a police force while also being religious figures was a big factor behind the Old Republic's longevity. We can learn from history".

Hux had been there in the First Order before Kylo Ren, and almost from the very beginning. With the structuring it now had, taking it over would be easy. But it was a risk. Would an organized coup be more effective? It would make the leadership more vulnerable and debatable. It would also probably be easier to foresee.

"But also, you know," Ducan continues, "They wanted it. They found me but had never been to Exegol. I could find an approximate location of Exegol. It was me showing appreciation and gratitude, as well".

Hux was heavily pushed by his own frustration and anxiety. All his life, he'd been seeking that ultimate power. Snoke died. Kylo Ren died. It was his turn now, wasn't it? And this man had come out of nowhere to usurp the spot Hux was next in line for? The power he wanted was unreachable for him, it seemed. Even if he reached it, there was something about it now that made it feel very fragile. Kylo Ren barely lasted a month and he was very powerful. What did Hux want now? To kill Ducan? Would that even be enough to make him feel fulfilled?

"Supreme Leader," Hux says, "Can you read my mind?".

"I don't do it all the time; it can get boring," Ducan responds, "But I can do it whenever I want".

A cryptic answer. Hux looks out the window one last time, and then turns around and makes his way out.

In Fegwet, Rose discussed plans with Lyn. Finn entered the base and had his eyes locked on her. Swiftly, he approached and asked her, through mere facial expressions, if she could come talk to him. She agreed and walked over to him. Everyone was talking around them, but they only saw and heard each other now.

"Hey, Rose," Finn says, "So, with how things around here have escalated, we've kind of… forgotten about some pending business, haven't we?".

"Pending?" Rose asks, "What's pending about this?".

Finn raises an eyebrow.

"Look, I'm trying to be cool… be suave, you know," he says, "But I don't wanna misread things and I really have no idea if you mean what I hope you mean or if you mean the opposite of what I hope you mean".

"Well, I can't read minds," Rose responds, "What do you hope?".

"Oh, this is some kind of mind game you're playing now," Finn says, "I'm not falling for it".

Though they're arguing, they're using a very noticeably friendly tone, like they both know what the other is about to say.

"Okay, look," Finn says, "This is cool. I can be your boyfriend. You wanna have a boyfriend? We can do boyfriend-girlfriend things, like start a workers' revolution, that'd be cool".

"Alright, silly," Rose chuckles, "I kissed you last time. You're up".

Finn leans in and kisses Rose. Their lips remain bonded for some time. Perhaps there can be love in times of war.

From afar, Poe sees them and brushes it off his mind. Everyone in there is working. Rebels come in and out of the base, some collecting signatures, others simply coming for updates. Poe hasn't piloted a ship in over a month. He's felt a little pointless. He then notices Rey sitting down, brooding on a corner, again, and approaches her.

"Have you taken this as your room?" Poe asks, "I've seen you here all the time the last few days". Rey raises her eyebrows, acknowledging her friend's joke but not laughing with it.

"It's the worst," Rey says, "Or worse than that".

"It's not such a terrible place," Poe adds, continuing to try lighting up the mood, "It… yeah… sorry".

"Wanna share something?" Rey asks.

"Talking about feelings is tough," Poe responds, as he sits down beside her, "Especially when they're recent… you know, they're unprocessed and what not".

"That's why talking about them is helpful," Rey says, "It becomes easier to process them".

"Well, you don't do that yourself, oddly" Poe says, "Any idea why that is?". Rey turns to him and shows fear behind her eyes. Fear of forming a real connection.

_Talk. Just once. Just talk. Openly. No filters. _

"I think anyone could leave at any time," she says, turning her sight to her own legs, avoiding eye contact, "It seems unlikely that anyone would ever want to stay for too long by my side, and it terrifies me to… get too close to people… because they will leave".

Poe twitches his lips and nods.

"That's rough," he comments, "I really don't know what to tell you".

"I'm introspective enough…" Rey explains, "I've come up with some likely explanations… my parents left, no one really cared back in Jakku, I was terribly alone… it helped me learn how to defend myself, but I guess I take it too far and end up pushing people away".

"Well," Poe responds, "It's great that you have an idea of where it came from".

Rey simply nods. The two remain quiet for a moment.

_Come on, try him now. It's clear he's about to blow up any second. _

"What was your life like, growing up?" Rey asks.

"Parents killed by the First Order, I think you might've known that already…" Poe reminisces, "I was alone, orphaned, homeless, with no money… could've died of hunger or disease. Or both. I tried to have some honest work but I was just a kid, and the pay was… awful… I was completely trapped".

"That's where you turned to spice-running?" Rey asks, remembering a story she once overheard.

"Right," Poe continues, "And it provided. I ate. I could pay medics if I had health issues, I had a home… it's interesting, sometimes people take that for granted, but having a roof over your head and walls surrounding you is just the best. I had contemplated working at a slave camp nearby, if it kept me alive and fed… but I got this opportunity, and it worked… at least for some time…".

"And you got out of it?" Rey asks.

"When I joined the Resistance, yeah," Poe recalls, "And it was amazing… people who knew how to cook, cooked for all of us. People who knew basic medicine, helped treat us all. We all had a place to sleep, too, and some basic education for those of us who didn't get much of it growing up… people did these things because they were in a community, and they knew that all they had was each other… if I'd grown up in such an environment, who knows where I would be right now? I guess I… I just don't trust the system… I know things won't change, and I won't ever be accepted, no matter what we do. It's broken beyond repair".

_I really don't know what to say. Things are shaping up to become very much like the times of the Empire again. Ben is gone. Luke Skywalker is gone. We're alone. Perhaps it is broken. _

"I get it…" Rey says, patting his friend on the back, "I don't know how we can do this. Even if we manage to take down the First Order… I really don't know what the plan is to make sure it doesn't come back in one way or another".

"All right, everybody," Lyn screams, "Listen up!". Everyone interrupts their activities and distractions and turns to her. She stands on top of the central table.

"I have talked with General Leia about our progress and strategy. So far, there are two hundred and thirty one of us on this planet, plus fifty seven rebellious Stormtroopers. That's two hundred and eighty eight people who are eager to fight for our freedom, but we need this to become much larger, we need to be everywhere. Fifty of us, with the help of twenty Stormtroopers, will be assigned to go to Galaso, another mining planet where nearly everyone is poor and oppressed. They will let them know of our strategy and radicalize them as much as possible, as well as turn as many Stormtroopers to our side as they can".

_Sounds good so far. We're moving forward. _

"General Leia, along with many other non-local Rebels, will travel to a much more heterogeneous system, Cloon. Mining in that system is minimal, but construction isn't. That system has many assembling facilities. It's not as overtly oppressive as we assume most mining planets are, but it's there. We need you to go there and start the movement on that front. It'll be tough. But we believe in you".

_I'm sure Rose and Finn will achieve this; they know how to get people angry and excited to fight. _

"We thank you all, as always, for joining this risky movement. I promise you, one day we will have our freedom! Long live the Rebellion!".

Everyone present echoes that last chant.

Lyn steps off the table and gestures Rey and Poe to walk over to her. The two stand up and rush to meet on the hallway to the caging area, where Finn, Rose, Chewbacca, BB-8, R2-D2, and General Leia also await.

"What's going on?" Rey asks.

"Well, if we want you guys to leave, we need to be cautious," Lyn explains, "The Falcon is parked and we have the ship General Leia used, but they can detect ships flying in and out. We're essentially in a blockade".

"Well, but not exactly, though, right?" Finn asks, "We can go. Maybe we'll get shot at but we can surely do it".

"But consider how it will affect us," Lyn responds.

"Hey wait," Rey adds, "We came in the Falcon, stayed there resting a few hours, walked out and were surrounded by the First Order. Who's to say the ship is still even there?".

"Cade and I were going to visit it a few weeks ago," Finn recalls, "to retrieve his Stormtrooper armory, but we ultimately didn't go. I haven't seen it either".

"Right," Poe says, "It's a Rebel ship. It practically begs them to destroy it".

"It's the Rebel ship," Rose adds, "As far as they know".

Chewbacca growls.

"I mean," Poe responds to him, "we obviously hope it's still in one piece"

"So what do we do?" Rose asks.

They all remain quiet for a few seconds. Then, Poe's eyes light up.

"So we have Stormtrooper armors," he says, "Let's use them and go check!".

"Right, that makes sense," Rose adds, "And if we can, we get in and leave in that exact moment".

"All five of us wear Stormtrooper armors, alongside some ten actual deserter troopers," Poe plots, his eyes lost in envisioning the scenario, "Chewie, Threepio, Artoo and BB-8 await nearby. If it's safe, they get in the Falcon and the seven of us leave. If there's trouble, we create a distraction until they're free to get in, and we fly off. We tell troopers on our side to act like they're trying to stop us as well, so they don't get in trouble".

"So we're not Rebels escaping," Rey says, "we're Stormtroopers deserting".

"Exactly," Poe concludes, "We escape with no repercussions".

"Man, you're brilliant," Finn says, shaking his head in pride and awe, "Just the best".

"Thanks, Finn," Poe responds, "I think we have a solid chance".

Halfway across the galaxy, two hands lay on parallel bars. The arms holding these hands shake, but the man that owns them is able to stand. His feet touch the ground, and, though it's hard at first, he's able to maintain some equilibrium. Beside him, Burnhar sits down on a chair, smiling at the sight of the young, beaten man fighting to get back on his feet. And, standing behind the wheelchair, the tall Duni also watches Ben's efforts.

"You're doing really well, Ben," Burnhar says, "I almost feel like I'm doing too little, just sitting here".

"Y-ou-ve…" Ben starts to respond.

"All right," Duni adds, "you might wanna wait a little before walking and talking at the same time".

Ben takes another step.

"This is exciting," Burnhar says, "Maybe I'll finally get you to clean your room".

Ben makes a sound that resembles a laugh, but he's exhaling so much that Burnhar isn't sure if it is.

"Hey, by the way, I just remembered," Burnhar tells Ben, "Tomorrow I have to go fish. The house will be yours again, for about a day". Ben breaks his pace and simply rests on his hands and feet, restoring his breath. He turns to Burnhar.

_I should try to get to know the rest of the village. The ones I've met so far have enlightened me. _

"Do you… think I could have some company?" Ben asks.

Burnhar involuntarily smiles.

_I'm scared and nervous now. What if he says yes? And I'll have to be with all of these people and be in danger of blowing up suddenly? _

"That's uh…" he says, "Sure… you got anyone in mind?".

_I can still walk away from it… _

_But… _

_No, I… _

_I know it's right. And these are good people. _

"Well," Ben responds, "Whoever's free".

"Well, sure, we'll bring in a table tonight, have people over for the cooking session," Burnhar says, "You'll help with something, I imagine".

"Of course," Ben responds. His stomach churns, but he knows it's good. He knows he's on the right path now.


	28. Across the Galaxies

****Fragments ****_**in itallics **_****are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. ****

**Chapter 28: "Across the Galaxies" **

About ten years after Luke took in Ben Solo, the young man was highly skilled with the Force. It would still be about four years before he turned against his master and chose a new path, but the fire of resentment had been burning inside him for some time, and he already knew he didn't want to dedicate his life to be a Jedi like Luke and his parents decided. At that moment, he was in the middle of a lightsaber fight, training with two of Luke's fellow students, Xan and Libio. The three of them swung their swords almost like they were a part of their bodies, with grace that the galaxy hadn't seen in some time. The Jedi were bound to return.

Luke arrived at the cave as the sun set, and Ben noticed his presence before turning to look at him.

_Skywalker. _

_Fight. _

Ben continued to fight.

"Hey, master," Ben said, as he dodged a swing and swung back himself, scaring off his opponents, "We've been fighting for a while now".

"You cross a lot, I've noticed," Xan commented, "Making a full spin with your entire body so that the strike with your saber is more powerful. It's an interesting technique.

"In the hands of a less skilled Jedi," Libio added, "It could be dangerous, but you know your saber pretty well".

"I'm sure Ben is humbled," Luke adds, as he enters their small stadium, delineated by a near-faded line on the ground, drawn years ago with the blast of a lightsaber, "But will you allow me some time to talk to him personally?".

The two students nod in agreement and walk away. Ben lights off his saber.

_What could he possibly want? We haven't talked privately in a while. _

_He'll probably say something ignorant and prejudicial. You already know how he is. _

"What's going on?" Ben asks. Luke faces him up front, but sits down. Ben sits down as well.

"A few things," Luke says, "First of all… Leia's out of the Senate. She wanted you to know".

_Wanted you to know? Well, that's certainly uncharacteristic of her. _

"Was she kicked out?" Ben asks.

"They revealed a few things about her in public," Luke responds, "And she stepped down before they could expel her".

_Running away to avoid consequences? Now it sounds like her. If she could control the Senate, she would've probably sent it away to be someone else's problem. _

The whisper of darkness in Ben's ear had grown too strong. The loneliness and lack of genuine emotional support or attention had fed his hatred, apathy, and resentment for years now. The resented voice inside his head was louder than the emotions he once held that made him miss his mother despite sending him away.

"What did they reveal?" Ben follows up.

"Well," Luke sighs deeply, "That's the big and complicated thing to talk about… his opponents… the more moderate Senators, who wanted her out… revealed that she sent you away when you were just eight years old".

"Right," Ben said, "What else?".

"They also revealed that… her father… and my father… was in the Empire".

_What an interesting turn of events… _

"In the Empire?" Ben asked, playing fool.

"Darth Vader was my father, Anakin Skywalker," Luke explained, "He's your grandfather". Ben faked a deep breath and confusion.

"I think I always knew," he said, "Deep down".

"Well… that was…" Luke continued, "That was the second thing… the third thing was that… her husband had gone back to smuggling…".

_What? _

"My dad?" Ben asked, "While they're married he's getting into trouble?".

"They split up a few months ago, actually," Luke clarified, "But they brought it up now".

_This is absolutely unbelievable. What is wrong with these people? How apathetic can they be? _

_You already knew they were this awful. This has just gone to show you're right to want to rebel against them. _

"I can't believe this…" Ben said.

_Please reach out to me. Please do something. This feels awful. I feel awful. _

"Look…" Luke said, "Just… close your eyes, bury these feelings. They'll just get in your way". But Luke was more reluctant to spread Jedi teachings now than he'd ever been before. This was his duty, though, "Rejoice for life moving forward and the truth coming to light at last".

You hid the truth. You all did. You can't even take responsibility for it. You're all terrible parental figures and role models. Please stop putting yourselves up on pedestals. It's embarrassing.

"I understand," Ben said, his lips very slightly twitching, "I must now go meditate to deal with this". Ben stood up and walked away. Luke remained sitting down, contemplating what had just happened. Was Ben sincere? If he was sincere, does that mean he's removed himself that much from feelings? If he wasn't sincere, did Luke's reaction hurt more than help? Luke knew the truth. Since the moment he arrived during the duel, he felt rage inside Ben, and even as he told him about his parents just a moment ago, he felt resentment. All of a sudden, a spirit appeared behind him. Luke felt him.

"Ben," Luke said, "Hey".

Ben Kenobi's ghost stood at Luke's side, looking toward the direction that Ben Solo took.

"You know this was the Jedi way," Ben said, "It's tough, but it makes you stronger".

"I read a bit of Jedi history, yeah," Luke responded, "And you've told me countless times already. I know".

They were wrong. The Jedi way was faulty, but it would take some more time before they began to genuinely realize it. Ben Kenobi was blinded by his limited experience, and Luke was blinded by his ego.

Years later, Ben Solo was no longer raging. He got out of bed and into his wheelchair, then rolled to the restroom and was now washing his face.

_Come on. Today can be a really, really good day. None of these people think I'm a bad person. I just need to be the person they already think I am. Good. Kind. Maybe slightly aggressive, but kind. I must listen. I must nod, smile, thank, greet, ask kindly, all of these things that I already used to do over a decade ago. I'm not a lost cause. I can be good; I know I can. _

The door knocks.

"I'm coming!" Ben screams, as he turns the wheelchair with impossible speed and rushes to the door, then opening it. Hangred and Ymaure are outside.

"Good morning, Ben!" Hangred says.

"We brought bread," Ymaure says, lifting a big bag, "I hope you woke up hungry".

_Say something kind and sincere. _

"I… don't know any other way to wake up". Ymaure chuckles, and Ben rolls back, allowing the two to come in. The door leads to a modest room, with a big table surrounded by some ten chairs. Against two perpendicular walls, there are couches, and there are several windows spread across the walls. Ymaure opens the bag of bread over the table.

_All right, nothing terrible so far. Ask them something. Start the conversation. _

"Hey, uh…" Ben says, "I wondered the other day… these houses, how did you guys build them?".

_Terrible topic. _

"Interesting question, actually," Hangred says, "Well, to answer that, we really need to go back to the aftermath of the massacre".

_I need to calm down. I was here during the massacre. I have to deal with this but I can't deal with it right now. I must play it normal. I can do this. I have to. I can do it. _

The conversation prolongs. Ben mostly nods and adds follow-up questions that lead to tangents. In time, six more people join in. One of them is a bald, yellow-skinned humanoid with small facial features, wearing layered clothing, and carrying a bag with gloves inside, constantly changing them. He's the local medic, Alexxo. Another one is a humanoid with rocky texture as skin in green color, called Malurne. He takes care of heavy lifting for construction, mostly. Another one is a four-legged, grey-skinned non-humanoid who is roughly as tall as Ben sitting on the wheelchair. Her name is Saare. She is one of the older in town, and she was a researcher and currently handles education in the village. Another visitor is a regular human, whose name is Wardo. He takes care of laundry for the whole village. The fifth to arrive after Ymaure and Hangred is a bright-red-skinned humanoid with black hair that stretches all the way down to the middle of his back. He takes care of organizing in general and is a friend of Burnhar from before the massacre, whose name is Mirio. Lastly, Nil also arrives, so after some two hours, there are nine people inside Burnhar's house, and the conversation flows easily, as they all work together to prepare food.

"I did not know about that," Wardo says, "So when the sandstorm was approaching I literally had to run away from it. My eyes were filled with sand and dirt for days!". Everyone laughs.

"I can back that up, he wanted me to pull his eyes out and clean them!" Alexxo adds, and again everyone laughs.

"You're the slowest person in this village," Ymaure chuckles, "That story is absolutely false and I will not hear any more of it".

"The story makes me sound very interesting," Wardo responds, "So I will keep repeating it for as long as it satisfies my precious ego, Ymaure!".

_They all look so happy. This is a family. _

Ben is cutting some of the fruit, as he watches and listens to the ongoing conversation attentively.

"What about you, Ben?" Saare asks, "Have you ever been near some kind of natural danger?".

_Now it's… now it's getting… I'm not sure what to… _

Ben inhales, looks at everyone's eyes across the room, and opens his mouth, hoping for something to come out of it miraculously. And, against all odds, something does.

"When I was a kid…" he starts to say.

_What happened? I have a vague memory. Water? A flood, maybe? No, the tide rose! That's right! _

"H-My dad and I…" Ben says. This was a memory he hadn't touched in a long time, "Uh… we… I wanted to sleep outside our house, because the weather was great… it wa- there was sunlight, but there was also a cool and soft breeze, you know?". His father. Han Solo, "And my mom didn't want me to stay out alone… you know, she worried… but then my dad, he uh…" Ben's lips started to flinch unconsciously, and his eyes got slightly humid, "He camped out with me, and we tried to sleep, but by… a little after midnight, he woke me up and… the water from the lake beside our house was almost on our feet!".

_I must've been five or six years old… _

"It was crazy, he…" Ben continues, "He carried me and ran up all the way to the entrance of our house, and we walked into the house, tired from the run, and just sat down on an old couch we had, holding me in his arms, and we just slept… I don't even think my mother woke up…" everyone in the room chuckles at that last comment, "Yeah, my dad, he was uh… he was an adventurer above all else…".

"Sounds like he was a good father," Saare says. Ben's eyes are lost, looking at the table.

"He made some bad decisions," he responds, looking up at Saare again, "Then again, we all do. He tried his best…".

_I should lighten up the mood again, before it gets too uncomfortable._

"So, anyway… uh," Ben says, nervously, "Anyone else wanna talk about really intimate feelings at inappropriate moments?". Everyone around the table laughs.

_I may have salvaged this._

"Ben," Malurne says, in his gruff voice, "It's okay. You're allowed to feel. What are reunions like these for, if not to nourish our relationships to each other and to ourselves?".

_That is… that… _

Ben sighs in relief.

"Thank you…" he says, "I think I… my dad made things tough early on… and then he tried to reach out to me again and I… I didn't allow myself to forgive him. And now he's gone. I guess I never got the closure I needed".

"That's understandable," Malurne responds, "And we're never taught how to deal with death. Grief is reasonable… and moving on is not always a straight road, of course. Like most things in life, it's usually two steps forward, then one step forward, then five steps back, and then maybe two forward again… and at times it may feel exhausting and impossible, but to keep trying to take at least one step forward… that's what really matters".

"That… makes a lot of sense," Ben responds, "I appreciate your sensitivity".

"Thank you," Malurne nods, "I write poetry, if you ever care to read it. Do you have any artistic hobby like that? They help process feelings".

"Uh…" Ben responds, "I-I'm afraid not".

"Maybe we can see if you like something," Malurne says, "I got a lot of stuff stored up in my house, you could come by one day this week, see if there's something you like".

_He just… invited me to his home. _

_I want to believe he enjoys my company but something won't allow me to. _

_I gotta try to buy into it, or else I might ruin it. _

"Sure, Malurne," Ben responds, with an uncharacteristic half-smile, "That'd be great".

And, for the rest of the day, they discuss everyone else's relationships with their parents, then even sharing the dinner they cooked. It's a peaceful afternoon for Ben, perhaps the most peaceful he's had in over a decade.

Halfway across the galaxy, Rey, Finn, Rose, Poe, and Leia are dressed in Stormtrooper armor, and hiding in the woods surrounding the Millennium Falcon. Leia and Rose look like slightly shorter troopers, but other than that they could camouflage decently. Right behind them, ten of the Stormtroopers who have turned to the Rebellion await further instructions, and Chewie stands nearby as well, holding BB-8 in his arms. C-3PO and R2-D2 stand behind him.

Rey looks out into the field, and it looks open, but she can sense people nearby.

"We can walk out, I think, but carefully," Rey cautions her friends, "There may be someone expecting us". And so, the five of them walk out into the field and take a few steps.

"It might be safe," Poe whispers, "I think-".

All of a sudden, out of the woods behind the Falcon, across the field, some fifty Stormtroopers walk out and aim at the disguised Rebels.

"Stand down!" the high-rank trooper amongst them orders.

"N-" Rey is frozen. This feels like exactly the same situation they got into when they first arrived, but how could they possibly escape now? Surely the troopers would damage the Falcon badly.

_Maybe I could take away their weapons again? They could still get them afterwards and do some damage to the Falcon… _

"We don't want any trouble!" Rey exclaims.

"I know that voice!" the high-rank trooper says, "It's you again. The wannabe Jedi girl, right? We're not afraid of you! Your pacifism doesn't work, it's pointless".

_Well, to his credit… he might be-_

But then, seemingly out of nowhere, fifty Rebel Stormtroopers walk out of the woods beside the heroes, and behind them, some seventy Rebels walk out as well. Many of the First Order Stormtroopers immediately drop their blaster or raise their hands, in surrender. Others take a few steps back, in fear and awe. Rey sees how far they've come. The Rebellion truly has been reborn.

_It's now or never. _

"The ten of you, come with us!" Rey tells the troopers behind her. Then, she turns to the front again, and uses the Force to disarm her opponents. The Rebels and troopers on her side rush forward, as most of the First Order immediately surrenders. The few that don't are threatened by groups of ten aiming at them, and then disarmed without ever blasting.

They've done it. They created a following so powerful that they beat fifty troopers with minimal violence. The spark has been lit.

The heroes rush to the Millennium Falcon, climb up the ramp and close it. Poe hurries to the cabin and sits down like it's where he's sat down his entire life.

"Oh, baby, I missed you," Poe says, "And flying in general, of course".

Finn sits down beside him, as everyone else gets comfortable in the rest of the ship. The ramp closes up, and the Falcon rapidly takes off.

"What happens now?" Finn asks.

"Well, assuming that those fifty soldiers were the majority nearby, we're safe," Poe responds, "If these foot soldiers can't report us, by the time their technology detects us leaving, it'll be too late to chase or attack us. It already is, we're out of the atmosphere".

Finn sighs in relief.

"I look and feel relaxed," Finn says, "as if we weren't about to take on a task that is almost certainly guaranteed to fail".

"You don't actually believe that," Poe chuckles, "Right?".

"No, but I am scared," Finn admits, "I gotta say, sometimes I'm not sure that we can make real, meaningful change".

Poe raises his eyebrows. He's talked about sensing this himself, but, of course, there's a big thing Finn doesn't know.

"Sometimes I feel that way too," is all Poe adds to the conversation, then working the ship to go into hyperspace, "All right, we'll be in hyperdrive for a while".

"Good, I'm going back there," Finn says, "I'll see you in a moment".

Far away, about a week later, back in Neast, Ben is able to walk the whole way through the two parallel bars, just barely using his arms to support himself.

"Astonishing!" Burnhar says, standing up from his chair, "That was wonderful, you finished it!".

"It feels… good," Ben says, "Even if I will miss the comfort of moving everywhere without standing up".

_I did it. It took a few days of work but… I did it. _

"What I just can't, for the life in me, figure out how to cure," Burnhar adds, "Is that scar on your face," he says as he delineates the shape of the scar on his own face, across his right eye.

"I'm sure it'll heal eventually," Ben says, "Now, I think I want to keep using the wheelchair for the rest of the day. Let's go visit Malurne".

"Absolutely," Burnhar responds, as Ben sits down on the wheelchair and his old friend starts to roll him towards the gymnasium's exit.

"See you tomorrow, Duni!" Ben says to his friend.

"Try not to run today!" Duni replies, "Take care, the two of you".

The two men thus make their way through the village, both talking to everyone they cross paths with. Finally, they arrive at Malurne´s humble household, which is just one big room, with a massive, thick mattress and three couches, several boxes filled with papers and all kinds of tools for artistic hobbies, a small contractible table, and a restroom. It's tight but warm.

"Any ideas off the top of your head?" Ben asks.

"Have you ever drawn?" Malurne asks in return, pulling out brushes and a canvas.

"Actually, no, maybe as a kid," Ben responds, "But I was never good at it".

"Well, but no one can actually tell you that for sure," Malurne explains, "Take a few of these home and try it out…" he hands them to Ben, "if you don't like it, that's fine, I'll pick them up sometime".

"I used to play a lot of strings when I was younger," Burnhar reminisces, "Music helps a lot with burdens and pressure". Ben reaches over and grabs a flute.

"Were you good?" Ben asks.

"Well, I wouldn't know, I never played in public," Burnhar answers him, as he, too, leans over and grabs a stringed instrument, an oddly shaped guitar, "I did it for my feelings, mostly".

Ben cleans up the flute and then puts it in his lips.

"Start blowing as if you were just breathing regularly," Malurne advises him, "Just to start getting a sense of it and how it works".

Ben exhales into the flute, which generates an almost unperceivable sound.

"Just let it flow," Malurne says, "The way I see it, the music is always in you in one way or another. Allow yourself to feel what you feel".

Ben blows some more, and then takes it off his lips.

"What about the fingers?" he asks, "What do I do with them?".

"Well, I would firstly suggest you just familiarize yourself with what you can do," Malurne explains, "Try all kinds of combinations and feel the way they sound. In your heart, you'll always know if it's right or not".

Burnhar tries playing the odd guitar, while Ben tries the flute.

"I play the drums," Malurne says, "Maybe one day we could start a band, play locally, you know, during dinner or something".

"I think that'd be very nice," Burnhar responds, "We should do it sometime".

The Millennium Falcon jumps out of Hyperspace and in front of a relatively planet.

"Oh, my…" Poe says, as he sees a neighbor planet surrounded by three Star Destroyers. Even from his distance, the violence is almost tangible. Poe closes his eyes fiercely, tired by the world of violence around him. Finn and Rose arrive at the cabin.

"Hey, man, so how do we land here?" Finn asks.

"I guess we'll figure that out together…" Poe responds, speeding up as he approaches the atmosphere. Finally, they get a clear image of the landscape; it's a sectioned, compartmentalized city, with some sections geographically higher than others. Most of what's in sight is either a building, a factory, or a space port.

"Where do people sleep?" Rose asks, with a look of disgust on her face.

"I'm going to assume," Poe responds, "if they're lucky… with a roof over their head"

"I mean, tall buildings aren't bad inherently…" Finn says, trying to balance out the issue.

"Not really," Rose adds, "but I think we're gonna find that this planet isn't too concerned with providing housing for those… underprivileged".

"Let's hope we're not in that demographic, at least," Poe says, as he controls the ship to approach a port, "All right, we're here now, there's no going back, let's just hope for the best…".

The Falcon lands on a port, and a small machine comes out of the floor right next to it. Every other ship present is surrounded by thick steel walls.

"How careful are we meant to be here?" Poe asks.

"There aren't many ground troops on this planet," Finn responds, "As long as we keep our heads down, it won't be an issue. This planet is home to some relatively rich guys, and the First Order likes to keep a clean image for them not to ask questions".

Leia enters the cockpit.

"Are we ready?" she asks.

"I hope so," Finn responds, as he exits the cabin, "Come on, let's go".

Rey has already walked off the ship, and is looking at the screen on the machine next to their ship. Rose and Finn walk out of the Falcon.

"We have something to pay with, right?" Rey asks them, nervously, while clicking on the screen.

"I imagine we have enough," Leia says, as she walks down the boarding ramp, "But to cover what?".

"Protection for the ship," Rey reads off of the screen, "But we can pay for a place to stay that's underneath this port". Leia arrives at Rey's side and reads the data on the screen.

"I think we can afford it for some three months," Leia speculates, "But this is crazy. It's not an accessible price for most people".

Back inside the cabin, Poe remains sitting down, his mind flooded with thoughts. Suddenly, BB-8 arrives, making a familiar noise.

"Oh, hey buddy!" Poe says, changing his expression drastically, and then getting off his seat, to sit on the ground beside his friend, "I know we haven't interacted much lately… It's been tough times for me, I… I'm scared, you know".

The droid beeps, as it rotates its headpiece slightly, indicating a question.

"Well, I…" Poe responds, "I'm not what people think I am. And if they knew what I am… they would treat me… say, differently".

BB makes a noise that evokes sadness, and its headpiece moves downwards.

"Hey, uh…" Poe thinks of something to ask his droid, "Do you feel comfortable with our relationship?".

BB-8 simply makes a slight movement with its headpiece, indicating confusion.

"You know, I…" Poe struggles to explain himself, "Droids aren't treated like us people… I just took you in like you were property… I say you're 'my droid', you know… but no one… you deserve to be treated fairly. We've been raised to treat you like property… and then I complain about how it's unfair that people would treat me unfairly for being different, but with the way I treat you and the way I treat threepio, I'm contributing to other people's oppression".

BB-8 makes a sound that sounds interrogative.

"I know we're taught to call you droids, and maybe it's okay to call you droids, I don't know" Poe says, "But the fact is that you're not allowed to have proper lives. Maybe if you did, we would realize that you are just as human as we are".

BB-8 beeps again.

"So, you'll stay with us?" Poe asks, to see if he understood the droid correctly, and the droid again beeps, while nodding with its headpiece, "All right, but do let me know if you ever want that to change… also, no more calling you 'my droid', okay? We're friends, you're one of us".

BB rolls forward and leans beside his friend, on his shoulder, and then beeps.

"Yeah," Poe says, in a tone that sounds like a scolded child, "I know I gotta talk to Threepio. I will".

"Hey, Poe," Finn says, as he peeks to the cabin, "We found a place to stay, come on!".

"Sure!" he responds to Finn, and then looks at BB-8, "And don't worry much, I'll talk to them as well…".

Back in Neast, a few days later, Ben sleeps, and his mind creates a disturbing image. Ben sees a town on a forest planet, and a massive ship arrives out of hyperspace, followed by a dozen Star Destroyers. The Knight of Ren jump out of the main ship and begin slaughtering everyone on their way. Duni is murdered. Hangred's head is sliced off and his body burned. At first there were only eight Knights, but now there seem to be over twenty. Then, leading them, is a tall, hooded warrior with grey skin. Ben runs out of his tower and sees Burnhar in Jedi clothing begging the invaders to let them live in peace this time. The bodies keep piling up. The warrior of darkness swings his arm and Burnhar is cut in half. Ben screams in pain and Force-pulls his lightsaber from inside the tower, and then, suddenly, he wakes up in his bed, and his thought-to-be-lost lightsaber flies to his hand and ignites, as he falls off the bed. He reacts immediately to it by turning it off, but then has a moment of contemplating it.

There it is. A part of Kylo Ren has returned to him.

_What? Why? No. I'm tired of this. I don't want it anymore. Think, come on, I have to think. How can I get rid of all of this? _

Ben throws the saber under his bed and rushes to leave his room. At this point, he can almost run normally without limping too much, especially with the fear and desperation running through his veins at the moment.

_Surely there must be a way to close myself off from the Force. There must be. And surely I can achieve it. _

Ben exits the house and runs toward a cliff in the village's surroundings, one he'd just barely seen from the distance when he was first brought there by Burnhar. There's a bridge linking the cliff to a different region of the planet, which he hadn't seen, and on the surface of the cliff, there is a big rock. Ben jumps onto the rock and sits down to reach out, in an effort to see what's going on. The starry sky enlightens his face. He closes his eyes and focuses like never before, reaching out as far as possible. His mind, his soul travels across the galaxies, senses every single living thing on its way, every drop of water, every voice…

And then… suddenly, his mother's soul.

"Ben?" it whispers. General Leia Organa wakes up in Cloon, on the other side of the galaxy.

"Leia…", Ben says as he suddenly opens his eyes and loses his balance, falling all the way to the ground. He's shaking.

"N- No more of this…", he says as he sits down again, frustrated.

"Trying to disconnect yourself from the Force?" he hears from a familiar yet mysterious voice. Ben turns around and sees what can be described as a spirit, a feeling, a soul manifested… a Force ghost, walking toward him through the bridge.

"Who are you?", he asks.

"Don't recognize your own grandfather, Ben?", Anakin asks in return.

"Vader…".

"Well, not exactly. How long has it been since you talked to Vader?".

"Since I killed Snoke," Ben says as he gets off the rock and starts walking on the bridge to approach his grandfather.

"Look inside yourself, Ben, you already know what that means," Anakin says and smiles.

"It was Vader's voice," Ben acknowledges, "but Snoke's words…"

"You needed to talk to someone… and Snoke took the chance"

Ben looks to be in denial, making very small but noticeable shaking with his head, and blinking much more frequently than usual.

"You're a Jedi… I called to you… I needed your help… anyone's help… you didn't respond… but Vade- Snoke did… as Vader".

"And he took advantage of your vulnerability".

"I am not vulnerable!" Ben says, clenching his fists, angry.

"Well, for some time, you didn't allow yourself to be vulnerable, that's true, but I think deep down, you know there's nothing wrong with being vulnerable. And you've allowed yourself to be vulnerable here with these people, but I get why you'd want to act like that with me right now," Anakin says. It's clear that he's been watching over Ben, "Luke may have taught you otherwise in his attempt to honor his masters' teachings, even if they weren't what he believed in. I, too, was taught that feeling was a sign of weakness, and that I should suppress it, and I, too, was then manipulated by an evil but powerful man to turn into a monster".

"What's your point?" Ben asks.

"You were okay to want help," Anakin assures, "You were okay to feel lonely".

"Luke said feelings made us turn to the dark side," Ben says, growing desperate.

"And so did my teachers, Ben! They were wrong, but it doesn't have to be like that anymore. The ways of the Jedi cleared the way for us to be turned into monsters, but things can change!"

Ben's face may seem motionless, but his cheeks, eyelids, and lips tremble like he's about to break into tears.

"... why didn't you answer me? You keep saying Luke was wrong and I needed you… so wh- why weren't you there?" Ben asks.

"Well, after a certain point, it was Snoke's power that shielded you from hearing us, but before all of that, it was us being… careless… irresponsible," Anakin says, "We heard you, but made the mistake of thinking that you were okay without us, that we didn't need to come down here with you. We were wrong. If we had simply been with you, any of us… we could've saved you and the galaxy a mountain of pain…"

Ben begins walking back to the cliff. Anakin follows him patiently.

"I'm not leading the First Order anymore. I'm not hurting anyone anymore… Why not simply shut myself off from the Force and stay here?" Ben asks.

"Because there is an intergalactic war going on," Anakin says, "and you played your part in it. We made a mistake by refusing to act when you needed us, so here I am, to fix that mistake… You made a mistake… well, a number of mistakes, actually. People have suffered. You know that now. But it's not too late and, I think, you know that to be true, as well. Search your feelings".

Ben stops walking, but remains silent, feeling impotent.

"By the time I realized how much damage I had done as Vader, and that I had to do something about it, it was too late, and all I could do was kill Darth Sidious and save my son, leaving the galaxy to heal itself from the damage I'd helped in doing it, but you still have time…".

"And if I don't want to… what would you do?", Ben said, not sure if he even meant it.

"Well, there's not much more I can do," Anakin admits, "Our duty is to listen and talk to the ones that come after us, like you… like Rey".

"You've become one with the Force, right?" Ben asks, "That's what they call it".

"That is how I'd describe it"

"Luke used to say that once you became one with the Force you'd be much more powerful than… than any of us could conceive… and yet…", Ben says, hesitantly, "… you can't do anything".

"We can teach you to be better than us. To be wiser than us. To learn from both what we did right and what we did wrong… It may not sound like much right now that there's a war… but believe me… nothing is more powerful than that. You can grow beyond us".

Ben sits down on the ground, with the weight of this newfound burden, "I c- I can't do this…", he says.

Anakin sits down beside his grandson, "Yes, we can". Ben looks at him, with a dim glimmer of hope in his eyes, "We failed you in the past, but I promise you now… we will always be with you".

"Ben!", Nil's voice yells. Ben reacts and Anakin suddenly isn't there anymore. There is a balance of anguish and relief in Ben's eyes.

"Nil".

"I heard you talking," she finally arrives, "everything okay?".

"I'm fine, yes".

_He can't tell me what to do with my life. Or can he? _

_I'm in peace. After years and years of suffering. _

"That bridge over there, actually," Nil says as the two walk back to the village, "We had to make it after the massacre, that hole wasn't even there".

_The massacre. _

_Suffering. _

_The First Order. _

Leia wakes up in the small room they rented. It was very small and modest. Like the rest of the planet, it was sectioned; there was a lower section with some ten beds of varying height, width, and comfort, and a higher section with a small table and a dirty and humble kitchen. The only door in and out was right next to the kitchen, and the only window was on the side of the beds, looking out at the busy city outside. In fact, Leia had decided to sleep right next to it, and now that she was awake, she lay on her head and looked at the landscape and the reflection of her face in the glass.

She felt him. She knew it had to have been him. Her son was alive.

Wasn't he? Or had it been just a dream?

He'd been dead for over a month.

He was dead.

Right?


	29. Like a Fleeting Shadow

****Fragments ****_**in itallics **_****are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. ****

**Chapter 29: "Like a Fleeting Shadow" **

"It's hopeless…" Luke whispered as he felt Ben's violence, ambition, and resentment leading to the deaths of millions of people, including Han Solo himself, "It…". And the thought breezed through his mind. Ben wasn't listening to him. He was already turned. How long until he slaughtered the entire new Jedi Order? He was already gone. It was his duty as a Jedi, as the old teachings said, to not act. He was too dangerous to be left alive, right? Was this not the way of the Jedi? Was this not the right thing to do?

Luke turned on his green lightsaber. And his mind broke down. No. It wasn't too late. It hadn't been with Vader after almost two decades of committing atrocities. Ben wasn't gone. He could still be saved. Maybe the instinct Luke had had years ago, to reject the Jedi code, was right all along. Ben seemed like a happy kid before all of this. Before being separated from his family. Before Luke tried to bring the Jedi back. The Jedi. It was the Jedi philosophy that broke Ben, and Luke was responsible for it. The light didn't need the Jedi. Not like this. But it was now too late. The young boy woke up before Luke turned off his weapon, and saw the eyes of a frightened man whose student had become more powerful than him. And Luke saw the eyes of his frightened student, who pulled his lightsaber to his hand and struck. Luke protected himself and wanted to talk to him, but it was too late. Ben used the Force to pull his hut inwards, and slashed his way out, just as the debris started to burn. The fireplace inside it had reacted with the debris and it seemed like hell now. Luke was apparently still inside.

_Luke… _

This isn't what he wanted. Ever. He knew he didn't want to be a Jedi, but he didn't want to kill his master either. He didn't want to kill his uncle. But he'd gotten in his way.

_He tried to kill you. He… your uncle… _

_What is wrong with him? He was supposed to be good, right? And noble? _

Fellow Jedi Knight Xan ran out of his hut, his lightsaber ignited.

"Solo!" he yelled, "Where's master Skywalker? What happened?".

"Look, calm down!" Ben responded. His sword was lit up as well, "This didn't go the way you think".

"I knew the Vader blood was in you," Xan said, menacingly, "Boiling up, waiting for the perfect moment to strike".

"Ben," Snoke's voice said inside the boy's head, "I'm here. Where we met. Find me. I'll take you out of here".

_Yes. I'll be there. _

Ben Force-pushed Xan all the way back to his hut, and then, in his rage against the thing that he felt had destroyed his life, he turned to the main temple, just a brief mountain climb away from their small village, and with a harmonious movement of his arms made it collapse into itself. The torches in its walls reacted to the destruction and ended up causing the whole temple to burn to ashes. Then, in the blink of an eye, Ben turned around and ran as fast as he could, rushing to the cave where he'd met Snoke years earlier.

Unbeknownst to Ben, though, Snoke and four Knights of Ren were just approaching the small Jedi Order village, and wreaking havoc as they made their way through it. One by one, the remaining eleven students came out of their huts and attempted to confront them. The fight was tough; the Knights of Ren were well trained, and Snoke intervened several times, immobilizing their Jedi opponents briefly to expose them to a final stroke. Six of the Jedi, however, simply surrendered and agreed to be captured instead. Snoke knew they would be useful. They weren't truly well trained. They didn't believe in the Jedi Order enough. If Snoke could turn them, the tide would shift in his favor. Xan jumped out of his hut after a few minutes of waiting, to make a surprise attack, but he was paralyzed mid-air by Snoke, and slaughtered violently by two of the Knights.

The village was left as nothing but flames and debris, along with the temple itself nearby. The surrendered Jedi were cuffed and stunned, and left under the Knights' guard inside their ship. Snoke, meanwhile, went to the cave, and Ben was there, waiting, shivering in the cold.

"My boy," Snoke's voice said in the darkness. Ben could hardly see anything inside the cave, having no source of light, but Snoke fired a bolt of lightning at a tree on an entrance nearby, and the flames colored him, approaching the young man, "I'm here". Ben kneeled.

_Your path is now clear. _

_This is my destiny. _

"Have you found out what your fate is, Ben Solo?" Snoke asked.

"My fate is with you, master," Ben responded, his face looking downwards, "With the dark side. I have seen my future. Darth Vader's legacy. Freedom from the pain in my past. Rejecting the life I didn't choose to have. I'm not Ben Solo anymore".

_Or am I? _

_You're not. Ben Solo was weak… foolish… a slave. _

"Will you be joining the Knights of Ren?" Snoke asked, after more than a decade of manipulating the boy to give him the answer he wanted. There was a smug smile on Snoke's face. He'd won.

"I will give everything I have and everything I am… to the dark side".

"Yes, you will," Snoke said, as he rubbed the boy's chin, raising his head, "Now, stand, my Knight. We must depart".

As Snoke turned around to leave, Ben stood up and looked over in the direction of the town he'd just escaped from, and the life he'd just given up. It had been a few years already of him knowing he wouldn't follow the Jedi path his uncle was setting up for him, but he never imagined it would come to these circumstances.

Years later, Ben was cooking in the early morning, as Burnhar entered the room.

"Hey, good morning," Burnhar says, then proceeding to sit down on the table, "How are those legs feeling?".

"I feel like I could run and leap almost like usual," Ben responds, "Thanks. And thanks again for… well, getting me to this point in my health. I couldn't have done this without you".

Burnhar chuckles in joy.

"Hey, uh… something came up today and some of us have to go for the day," Burnhar says, "Do you think you could take care of little Wille while we're gone? I know you've met him".

"Uh… yeah," Ben responds, while he serves his friend a dish with bread and the meat he just cooked, "I think I might've yelled at him at some point".

"I mean," Burnhar says, holding back laughter, "that could be almost anyone".

Ben laughs for a few seconds. His bright smile shines upon the entire kitchen.

"If you want, though," he says, "I can help you with whatever it is that came up".

"We need you here, taking care of him," Burnhar reiterates, "Can you do that for us?".

"Absolutely".

"By the way," Burnhar says, before taking his first bite, "I don't know if I've told you. You have seven different outfits. They all look the same, of course; just black robes. They're all made by Ferrin… maybe we should visit him again sometime soon, by the way… and your old, messed up, torn apart clothing has been washed and sewn and you can wear it again. But you've been here some three months already, don't you care for any new clothes?".

"Well, to be honest," Ben responds, "I just showered and grabbed the clothes that you left there. I assumed there were two sets, at best. In my defense, showering was quite a task, so I didn't think much of what was going on…" then he remains contemplative briefly, "I'll let you know if I think of anything".

Burnhar nods and continues eating, as the two share a more casual conversation. Then, Ben thinks of something he somehow hadn't considered asking before.

"Hey," he takes a sip of water from his glass, "Who are Wille's parents?". Burnhar tightens his lips. The answer is probably uncomfortable.

"We don't know who his biological parents are," Burnhar responds, "We found him after the massacre. He was just two at the time and Duni heard him and took him in… so his biological parents are gone, but he's like a child of this whole community. Children shouldn't grow up without parents".

"Right…" Ben says, "So you take turns taking care of him".

"Some of us take longer turns than others, you know," Burnhar explains, "It's been evolving as time goes on, but today we'll all be gone".

Rose and Finn explore Cloon, walking through the sectioned and irregularly-placed streets of the city where they're staying. There are countless staircases and elevating sections of the floor itself, and there aren't many railings.

"This place is insane," Finn says, as he marvels at the sight of a person jumping off a wall to climb to a higher ground, "And it's so populated. How will we reach people here?".

"Well, I'm sure most of these people live day to day," Rose responds. The two see a Stormtrooper walking by; the first they've seen on this planet. They take a few steps back and hide in the shadow of a higher ground, "Which means some of these people must already be on our side, whether or not they know it".

"Do you think there are Rebels here, though?" Finn asks. The Stormtrooper moves along. Rose and Finn walk out of the shadows and to an open plaza with a mostly even ground level, leading to a massive supermarket. Rose and Finn make their way to it

"How do we get to know about this place?" Finn asks, as they walk toward the supermarket, "We literally know nothing, and there's no way we're gonna cross through all of it to find some Rebel. There must be a hundred times more people in this planet than in Fegwet".

"Let's ask questions," Rose says, as she speeds up to reach a man walking in front of them. This is a human with dark brown hair, wearing a black jacket. Rose taps his shoulder, "Hey, excuse me," the man turns to see them, cheerful, "My friend and I are visiting this planet and we know nothing, not even what kind of government we have… can you give us a hand?".

Finn hides the doubt inside. He feels like anyone could be allegiant to the First Order.

"Absolutely, my name's Jow, I was born here in Cloon, and honestly…" he shakes his head as he smiles, "It's the best. This place is excellent. Really, we can do anything we want in here, it's entirely free. We have a Prime Minister, of course, and a Senate, ruling over us, but they are all elected by us, so they represent the interests of the people…" he blinks, searching for more words, "Yeah, it's just… I've never been anywhere else, but we here about other places all the time, and they just… they don't compare. This is such a great place. It's the planet of happiness. If you have a dream and you come here, you'll live it".

Finn and Rose turn to each other, their microexpressions communicating that neither of them is sure of how to respond. Rose takes a blind step.

"Do you think we could contact you later?" she asks, "You seem like you probably know this place pretty well, and, like I said, we literally just got here… my name is Rosie, by the way".

"And I'm Finn," he shakes Jow's hand, "Sorry if we're a little weird. We're just excited".

"That's okay," Jow responds, "My code is 10675-225. Need paper to write that down?".

Both Finn and Rose look baffled at his response.

"Sorry, your code?" Finn asks. Jow expresses realization and pulls out a small but fancy apparatus with a small screen and a keyboard that fits on his palm.

"We use linkers here in Cloon, I assumed they were everywhere," he responds, showing the device to the two Rebels, "You can buy one almost anywhere here, it's very useful to communicate across distances". He then pulls a small pen and a piece of paper out of his chest pocket and writes out his number on it, "Here you go".

He then says goodbye to them and continues on his way to the supermarket.

"You think we should buy one of those?" Rose asks.

"I'm not sure," Finn responds, "It could be useful to get to know this planet, but I'm not sure regardless".

Back in the rented room, Leia wakes up and sees Rey cooking herself breakfast. She remembers what seemed to be both a dream and a reality. Ben was alive. If only for a moment, but she felt him. And she knows Rey would want to know. Hiding things was counterproductive.

"Rey," Leia says, as she sits on her mattress. The young scavenger turns to her and raises her eyebrows as she smiles. Leia shows an indescribable mix of emotions on her face, and Rey notices it, "I felt him. Last night. It was brief, but it was real. I know it".

Rey stares into nothingness briefly.

_Ben? It must be. But what does this mean? Is he alive? Or is he still dead? _

"If he's alive, and I hope that's the case…" Leia shuts her eyes in pain, "I don't know what we could do… or what we should do".

_This whole thing feels terrible. We don't know what's going on and, whatever it is, we wouldn't know what to do anyways. This was a lost cause from the get-go. _

"I need to get some fresh air…" Rey responds, "Explore…".

And so Rey walks out of the room after taking her last bite. Leia remains sitting on her bed, contemplating once again what exactly she could have done in the past decades to save her son.

Ben opens the door and Wille walks in, excited, with many toys on his hands. Ben speechlessly follows him with his eyes and closes the door behind him. Wille lies down on one of the couches and leaves his toys in front of him. Ben sits down on the couch perpendicular to it, and observes Wille.

"I will not let you destroy this city, Lord Vader!" Wille says, shaking a homemade figurine of a knight. On the other side, he holds another makeshift toy, this one painted in black and holding a stick on one hand, "The Jedi protect people and I am a Jedi".

Ben chuckles inaudibly.

"The Jedi always lose against the Stith!" Wille says, shaking his stand-in Vader.

"That may be true. But peace always beats war!" the makeshift Jedi replies in Wille's voice.

"The Stith are stronger!" Vader threatens.

Wille then lifts his Jedi above Vader's height.

"Not strong enough," the Jedi responds. Vader then shakes in the Jedi's direction, as Wille makes the sound of a burning fireplace with his mouth.

"Do Stith masters shoot fire?" Wille asks Ben, suddenly completely ignoring the plot he'd been building up, "Do you know, mister Ben?".

"Uh…" Ben says, having been caught off-guard, "Fire? Not that I know of".

"Well, but you're not a Stith, how would you know?".

"I think they're called Sith," Ben responds, "And they're extinct, so who would know?".

"Are Jedi extinct?" Wille asks.

"N- I'm not sure," Ben answers. He really isn't sure what to respond, "They might be".

"Have you ever met a Jedi?" Wille asks before Ben can even finish his sentence, "I don't know if they're real or if they're like angels".

"I don't enjoy personal questions," Ben responds, "I pass".

"That's boring".

"Y-"

_He's just a kid. _

"You'r-" Ben starts, but then closes his mouth before continuing, "You're interested in knowing about me?".

"I don't wanna be bored, do you wanna play with my toys with me?" Wille asks.

"Uh, sure, I guess," Ben grabs one of the figures, one who also wields a stick in place of a sword, "Who am I?".

"You can be the Jedi Skywalker," Wille responds. Ben's throat inches briefly, "I like him, he's based on Luke. He's my hero".

"Alright, sure," Ben responds, "And who will you be?".

"Darth Kyloren," Wille says, "From the First Order".

Ben swallows and shivers subtly.

"No, I know… I know who he is…" Ben says.

"He's the worst of the worst," Wille adds, "I think he's a Stith too but I'm not sure".

"Well, who knows?" Ben says, "Let's-".

"I wish Luke would find him and kill him".

Ben's face freezes for what feels like an hour, but it really is just a matter of seconds. That night from decades ago flashes before his eyes. Luke tried to kill him. Luke turned on his lightsaber right behind his back as he slept. Clearly, it was an attempt to kill him. And all because he was growing too powerful and thinking of a different path.

Right?

But also, it's pretty clear, in hindsight, that Snoke and the First Order were not the right path. If Luke saw that…

No, but it's unjustifiable. Luke tried to kill him.

Right?

No, but he had decided he could and should forgive him. It wasn't as simple as an assassination attempt, but it also wasn't as simple as it being all right to kill someone for something they hadn't yet done. Bad decisions were made by both of them, but Luke was now gone. And Ben had seen the harm his decisions had caused on other people.

"I wish he and Luke had tried to be there for each other… empathy was all they needed".

_If only… _

And, back in Cloon, Rey walks around the city, examining her surroundings to attempt to distract herself. Why did Ben mean so much to her?

But then, suddenly, it all gets quiet and the sunlight feels slightly less bright. And, just a few steps of her, the throne of the First Order appears, and the man she'd only seen once in a hologram was now sitting in front of her. Rey's breathing slows down.

"You".

"So we finally meet, girl".

"Who are you?" Rey asks, daringly.

"You know who I am," the hooded monster responds, "Sidious".

"I didn't ask what your name was".

"Then I assume you're wondering how I came to rule the galaxy overnight".

"You don't rule the galaxy".

"I don't?" he asks, arrogantly.

"No".

"I don't rule the galaxy?" he repeats, and Rey shakes her head decidedly, "Then who does?".

"We'll show you".

"Ah, you think you'll be powerful enough to take me down, girl?".

"I didn't say I would".

"Right, you said 'we'. I imagine you and your friends will take me down then. The power of love will win".

"You have nothing!" she yells.

"I have your location and everything about you without ever even having seen you personally".

"Your arrogance will be your downfall" Rey threatens.

"That's funnily ironic coming from a semi-slave with favorable luck".

"Where's Ben?".

"You two used to do this, didn't you?".

"Where is he?!" Rey asks, increasing her volume.

"You'll never win," Ducan says as he chuckles, "And also, people are staring at you".

Ducan and the throne vanish, and dozens of people around Rey are freaked out, looking at her with disdain.

And, in a section added to the Senate Building during the times of the Empire, made specifically for the Emperor's throne, Ducan was now sitting. He presses a button on the side of the throne and waits silently for about a minute. Then, the massive doors of this hall open and General Hux walks in.

"Give me the report, Hux," he orders.

"One of our investors has reported strikes on planet Verveo, in many of his mining facilities. Workers want higher wages. I will have local Stormtroopers repress their protest," Hux reports, "It might be useful to turn this planet into something more explicitly controlled by the First Order, like Badu Haw, Crinno, Fegwet, Galatra…".

"We can't jump to such a drastic change just like that," Ducan responds, "Have our troops make some acts of terror and make it seem as if the strikers are responsible. Get the majority to think we should intervene directly. Give privileges to the higher-ranking public officials and make them agree to this agenda. In a matter of months, they'll turn the planet into a dictatorship themselves," he concludes without a second to take a breath or hesitate, "And remember, we are not the First Order anymore. We are the United Galactic Republic".

Hux makes a reverence.

"As you wish, Supreme Leader".

"Anything else?"

Hux's mind accelerates. Ducan is asking him about things he knows. That must mean that he isn't reading his mind at the moment. He's open to an attack, and they're all alone in that room. Hux stutters.

"T-The Knights of Ren are on their way back from Mustafar, sir," Hux reports, "They will be here shortly".

"Good," Ducan responds, "Leave now".

Could he have read Hux's mind?

Hux turns around and leaves silently.

A few days later, in Cloon, after having purchased their own linker and contacted Jow, Finn and Rose make their way to a social event he's invited them to, where they can meet people and get to know about where to work. The two young Rebels arrive at the entrance of a tall, cylindrical apartment building and ring the bell.

"Think this will mean anything?" Rose asks.

"Well, so far everyone around here seems to like the way they live…" Finn responds, shrugging his shoulders, "Maybe we just made a mistake in choosing this place. Maybe there's no oppression here". Rose doesn't audibly respond, but it's clear that this statement seems unreal to her.

The door opens and Jow is inside.

"Rose, Finn," he shakes their hands, "Please come in! Good to see you!".

The two walk in and make their way upstairs as Jow makes smalltalk.

"These are people I've met throughout my whole life. They all live around here. I think you'll find them very inspiring and likeable, and who knows? Maybe one of them will give you guys a job offer you'd like".

"I sure hope so," Finn responds, "I hear it's tough to be employed in some places".

"Well, if you work hard," Jow says, as he finally opens the door to his apartment, "It's not an issue here". The three walk in and the place is filled with nicely dressed people. There's music playing and lots of snacks.

"Everyone!" Jow screams, making his guests turn to the entrance, "These are Rose and Finn. They arrived here a few days ago and they live in this area. They want to know about getting a job here. Will we be friendly to them?".

Most people respond positively in unison.

"Good, great," Jow says, then turns to his new guests, "make yourselves at home".

Meanwhile, Rey, Poe, Chewie, R2-D2, C-3PO, and BB-8 climb to the ceiling of a small but spacious building. Poe looks around, analyzing the area.

"Looks nice," he says, "Might work for you".

"Thank you for coming with me," Rey responds, as she pulls out Leia's lightsaber and ignites it, "All of you".

Chewie growls as he and Poe get on opposite extremes of Rey, and she closes her eyes. The droids stand nearby, just as spectators.

"Are we sure this is safe?" C-3PO asks, "It seems terribly d-" but R2 interrupts him with a beep, "… Necessary? Necessary for what?".

"To fight the Supreme Leader," Rey responds, her eyes still closed, while she stretches out her muscles doing maneuvers with the lightsaber harmonically, "To kill him".

Chewie growls again.

"All due respect, Rey," Poe says, "but I don't think he'll fight you using a blaster".

"This is for reflexes," Rey responds, "Not just to blasters".

"But also, and I hate to ask this type of question," Poe adds, "But how can you be sure that this guy isn't another Kylo Ren? That there isn't more to him as well?".

"I don't…" Rey says, hesitantly, "I'm not sure… but I'm the only one who can possibly fight him, so I need to be ready".

Rey gets into a defensive position, and Poe and Chewie fire at her from opposite sides.

"They were gonna cut wages," one of Jow's friend says. He's telling a story to a group of seven people in the small reunion. Finn is also nearby, listening, "But I managed to talk to our boss and persuade him that our work was important and we deserved the wages we had, if not a higher one". The listeners react in excitement. Finn continues to pay attention, unsure of how to react.

"That's unreal!" another guest responds, "And what did he do?".

"He agreed with me! Reluctantly, but he agreed to maintain our wages," he concludes, "So I kind of saved us all, in a way".

"I'm not sure if we're too far from doing something like that over at Codice," another guest adds, "It looks more and more like wages can be cut and we'll be fine, so we'll have to wait and see".

Finn walks out of the conversation, looking for Rose. On the other side of the room, she sits near some ten guests and Jow himself, also arguing about their jobs.

"Look, it's simple," Jow says, "If we feel like there's an injustice being done, we'll do something. We'll fight. I'm not going to let some greedy boss cut my wages just to increase his revenue!" he concludes inspiringly as his friends cheer and agree. Rose smiles in pride. Perhaps they've already found strong allies in Cloon.

Finn sees Rose and gestures at her. She stands up and walks towards him, and the two walk together to an open window nearby, away from the noise.

"So what do we think?" Finn asks.

"Great news," Rose responds, "I know this is just thirty people at best, maybe, but they seem to already be on our side, against injustice".

"I felt that too".

"If anything," Rose adds, "maybe we just need to help them focus their distaste for injustice on bigger things as well as the smaller ones they already focus it on".

"This is hopeful…" Finn says, "I have to admit this is not how I expected this to go down".

"Me neither…" Rose responds, "… we have to get them on board now. Take this chance. They're all together, talking about injustices… it's the perfect time".

Finn turns around and grabs a cup, which he then bangs a fork on to get everyone's attention. Just then, Jow opens the door to a man in dirty clothing carrying a broom.

"All right, everyone," Finn says, as everyone turns to listen to him. Rose looks at her fellow Rebel with pride, but then the man with the broom catches her attention, "I want to thank you all for welcoming us to your family, for sharing your stories about fighting injustice… and I want to also tell you a little bit about us and maybe even make you an offer," he continues. Rose notices that Jow talks with disdain and exhaustion to the man with the broom, "We want to ask you if you'd like to join our efforts in fighting the injustice across the galaxy, alongside the Rebellion," there are some gasps among the guests, and Rose's face grows worried, as Jow shuts the door on the man.

"Finn, I don't think…" Rose says.

"The Rebellion?" one of the guests asks, "What for? We deal with real problems, not their imaginary injustices".

"Imaginary?" Finn asks, "What's imaginary about people not having houses or proper attention to their health? What's imaginary about the First Order slaughtering people like it's nothing?".

"Hey, the First Order is gone!" another guest says, "Now with Sidious, it's all okay. And besides, they were all most likely criminals anyway! And what's this about housing and health? If you want those things you work hard for them!".

"Finn…" Rose says, grabbing his arm.

"So you're saying all those people who don't have a fair living standard are just lazy?" Finn asks, challengingly, "You think poverty and… starvation and… slavery are just people being lazy? What happened to fighting for wages?!".

Jow finally intervenes.

"We fight for our wages," he says, "For us, the people with an education and jobs that warrant higher salaries. I fought my boss for not cutting our wages to be as much as his miners', as I said".

"What?!" Rose asks.

"You only fight when it affects you?" Finn asks.

"Hey, we fight injustice," Jow responds, "Real injustice. And if they or the factory workers or any of those tail-end workers want to fight for being paid more, let them make their inexplicable demands themselves. What do I care? They should've worked harder in their education if they wanted a better salary!".

"This is unbelievable," Rose says to herself, and then she turns to Finn, "We have to leave. We don't belong here".

"Yeah, you don't belong here," Jow responds, as he opens the door and gestures them with his hand to walk out, "Your radical and arbitrary ideas are baffling. Here we only talk about real issues," his friends clap and agree verbally, "Maybe you should focus your efforts on making the workers and the poor a little less lazy and then you'll get your imaginary injustice solved out".

Finn and Rose make their way to the door. Everyone stares at them. The silence is deafening. Finn walks out and Rose grabs the door to close it, but not before one final comment.

"You need them more than they need you," she remarks, "If they realize it before you do… you're all in serious trouble". The door closes.

"We should go home," Finn says, "This just… it's the worst".

"Wait, we can't leave yet," Rose responds, as she rushes down the hallway and the stairs. She finds the man with the broom just leaving the building, "Hey, sir, wait!".

The man turns to her.

"How may I help you?" he asks.

"I'm Rose," she says, finally catching up to him. She then points back to Finn, who hurries to reach them, "This is Finn… I'm sorry if this sounds insensitive, but do you have a place to stay tonight?".

"Not really," he responds, "I'm Pohleen".

"Come with us, Pohleen" Rose says, "We have room for you".

"That's not fair…" Pohleen responds, "If I were smart and hardworking enough, I'd have room for myself".

"You're not homeless because of those things," Rose says, "But if they convince you that you are, they win".

"I'm…" he responds, "… I'm not sure if I follow… but I do miss sleeping with blankets".

Back in Neast, Ben wakes up in the morning on one of the couches in the living room. He smells his sweaty armpits and makes an expression of disgust.

_I need a shower. _

"Wille!" Ben screams, "Are you awake?".

"We're here," Burnhar's voice echoes from the kitchen, "Come join us, Ben".

Ben slowly stretches his back and his arms and sits down. He then stands up and walks up to the kitchen, to see Wille standing up on a chair beside the table, with bumcakes on his plate. Burnhar bakes more bumcakes in the oven.

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be tall like Ben!" Wille says, just as Ben enters and their faces almost meet in height.

"Good morning, kid," Ben says, as he sits down next to Wille's chair, "You look taller today, I do have to say. Maybe I shrank".

"Mr. Burnhar, if Ben shrank, can I keep the jacket?" Wille asks.

"What jacket?" Ben asks the kid.

"Ferrin brought you one," Burnhar says, as he washes his hands and grabs a dark brown jacket that was hanging on his chair, "Along with a blank shirt to go underneath," he points to it, hanging on the back of Wille's chair.

"I didn't tell him what I wanted," Ben responds, as he grabs the shirt and is handed the jacket by Burnhar, "How come?".

"Well, he connected with you that one time, right?" Burnhar recalls, "He doesn't forget things easily. He felt you, Ben. If he gave you this, he probably knew it was what you wanted".

"I'll thank him when I see him," Ben says. He then stands up to leave the room, "I'm gonna shower and put on clean clothes".

"Shower quickly," Burnhar advises, "We're going fishing today. Wille's coming with us, too".

Rey, Poe, Chewie, R2-D2, C-3PO, and BB-8 walk into the rented room. There are now two tables on the kitchen. Leia, Rose, and Pohleen sit down on one of them, while Finn heats up food for them. Rey has wounds and scars on her face, and after hanging her robes near the door, there are also some visible on her arms.

"Uh, hi, sir…" Poe says when he notices Pohleen, "Do we…?".

"I'm Pohleen," he responds, "Your kind friends invited me here to spend the night".

"Take a seat, guys!" Rose says. Rey, Poe, and Chewie sit down. The droids awkwardly stand nearby, even though there are two chairs left unused. Poe notices this and recalls his promise to BB-8 a few days earlier.

"You know what?" Poe says, as he stands up and walks towards the droids, "Why don't you guys join us?" he then gestures them to the table.

"Sir, I'm afraid none of us has the legs to sit on those chairs," 3PO responds, "But we surely appreciate-".

R2 interrupts him with a beep.

"We also don't eat," 3PO says, "But thank you, sir".

"No need to call me or any of us 'sir'," Poe says, "And okay, don't eat, don't sit… but join us. We've got plenty of room here". The Rebels sitting down smile awkwardly.

"You guys should talk to the droid emancipation folks in town," Pohleen comments, "They know what's up about these things".

Poe turns to their guest, with a shocked and confused face.

"Droid emancipation folks?" he asks, "Who?".

"Sit down and I'll tell ya!" Pohleen says, "And yeah, you come join us!". Poe sits down. Rey moves the two unused chairs, allowing 3PO and R2 to stand in their place. BB-8 knocks on Poe's chair, and Poe leans down to pick up the droid.

"Want to sit with me?" Poe asks, as he places BB-8 on his lap. BB beeps in a friendly way, "Sure, buddy".

Finn hands each one their heated up plate.

"Who wants the one that looks like a burnt-up brain?" Finn asks. Everybody laughs. Chewie additionally growls, as if asking for it.

"Actually, if it's okay" 3PO adds, "I think I'll have it".

Again everyone laughs in unison.

"Did you just make a joke?" Poe asks.

"Is that the first time you ever joke?" Rose asks.

"Well, I've observed you for a long time," 3PO responds, "I can learn. I thought the timing was appropriate".

"Threepio, I hope you feel free to do it again more often from now on," Leia says, "It will be welcome".

"Yeah," Poe adds, "Just no bad jokes, please".

Even R2 reacts to this comment.

As Finn stands up to grab the last plate, for Rey, he looks back at the table and smiles. This is what he never had. He turns to Rey, who coincidentally also sees him. She knows what he's feeling. She feels it too.

I don't want this night to end. I don't want to get back to the heavy and impossible world we have to deal with outside of this table tonight…

"So, droid emancipation," Pohleen says, "These guys have been fighting for generations to make droid ownership illegal. And we see it as just normal business, but when they talk about it, it just… you get it, y'know?". Everyone just remains quiet. They know they've all been complicit in droid slavery in one way or another.

"They're right," Leia says, "And the three of you will be able to be free. To choose your own path". Poe smiles in pride.

"Leia," Rey adds, "I think we should also contemplate going one step further".

"What's that?" the general asks.

"We'll support this cause," Rey says, "Whatever happens after we take down the First Order or whatever they want to call themselves now… there won't be droid ownership. Not anymore… The only way to avoid falling into the same trappings is to take a different pathway". Leia nods in agreement.

"Good, so we do this as soon as possible," Poe says, "Find droids in this cause and talk to them. Surely, the support of the Rebellion will be useful to them".

"Oh, they could use it," Pohleen adds, "Definitely, but the Rebels here haven't tried it out".

And with that sentence, it's like time stops. None of them had even considered anymore the possibility that there may be a Rebellion in this planet.

"Excuse me?" Finn asks.

"They aren't on the urban sites, usually," Pohleen continues, "But they are around where I live. On a communitarian home down there set up by them, on a mining region".

Rey still hasn't gotten past the initial shock.

"There are Rebels here…" she says, in awe.

"And we'll see them tomorrow…" Leia determines, decidedly.

Ducan opens his eyes dramatically inside his office, and looks shocked. He was meditating while sitting on his carpet and something had just violently crossed his mind. He quickly stands up, grabs and puts on his dark red cape, complementing his dark red attire with yellow and black portions, and speeds out of his office, with his eyes closed. The thought was driving him crazy. Could it be? Was this powerful rise to power going to end up being the setup to the most ironic, large-scale cosmic prank the galaxy itself had ever played on anyone? He was right, wasn't he? He was the only one who saw that portions of history tend to repeat themselves, and he was playing into that, exploiting it. There would continue to be a stand-in Empire for generations, and a stand-in Rebellion fighting it. This was the way. He was just playing his part in the story, actively helping the cycle perpetuate itself. So why did it seem now like it was all going to crash down before his eyes? He was aiding history in repeating itself, so why did he seem terrified all of a sudden? What could have possibly altered him in this way?

He finally arrived and sat down at his Throne, and just then, the gates to the room opened. Cardo Ren, the most skilled of the Knights that now followed his preachings, walked into the throne room.

"My lord, I heard your calling," he says as he kneels before the Supreme Leader, "My brothers did not wake up. I imagine they didn't hear it".

"It's not necessary… they're not necessary," Ducan responds, "I wanted the eight of you tomorrow for general management procedure, but I only need one of you for this. It doesn't concern me too much, but it is a minor nuisance…" he lies, "I need you to go to planet Cloon and find the scavenger girl. The one you saw that time in the Star Destroyer with Kylo Ren".

"Find her?" Cardo Ren asks.

"Find her and kill her," Ducan adds, "As soon as possible".

"May I ask why the urgency, my lord?" Cardo Ren follows up.

"It- something about her fate has come to my attention," Ducan responds, "I can't see her future, but I can see the past and the present and I can find patterns. I see what she's shaping up to be".

"I thought she was a part of the cycle," Cardo Ren says, "Isn't it necessary for her to follow patterns? And if she's so dangerous, why just me?".

"She's not too dangerous yet… that's why it's just you. And, about the girl… that's the point," Ducan says, "She doesn't follow patterns. She breaks the cycle".


	30. Baptism

****Fragments ****_**in itallics **_****are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative. ****

**Chapter 30: "Baptism"**

Years ago, a Knight of Ren was finally being officially accoladed in the volcanic Land of Mustafar. Snoke stood, and there were four Knights of Ren on his left side and four others on his right. A ninth Knight walked up to him and kneeled.

"Young Solo…" Snoke said, looking down at his creation, "it is finally time to fulfill your destiny. It's time to give yourself to the dark side…".

_The training has made me very powerful. Luke wouldn't dream of some of the things I'm capable of._

And now it's finally time for you to choose your path definitively. No more living under the ruling or power of anyone else. You were right about all of your doubts. You are stronger than your father, your mother, and your uncle. Stronger than everyone else. You have been released from your chains and are now free to follow Darth Vader's footsteps; the path to omnipotence. He wanted to rule the galaxy, but was betrayed by his own weakness when the moment came. You won't. You will do what he couldn't. You won't hesitate.

"What name have you chosen for yourself?" Snoke asked.

"Kylo," Ben said. He'd learned ancient the language of an ancient Sith culture and tradition that Snoke had taken as an inspiration to develop the Knights of Ren. "Ren" meant power. That was what they pursued. And each of the Knights had chosen a different word from that language to represent what they wanted their life to be about in this new path, "Kylo Ren".

"Choice…" Snoke said, smiling. He'd successfully manipulated the young boy to be on his leash. And on top of that, he'd managed to make him think it was freedom of choice that characterized him now, "Very well. Rise, my apprentice. Rise in the Force".

Ben looked up at his master's face and stood up. A new life had now begun.

"And now…" Snoke said, as he turned around and walked outside of their small formation and began pacing circles around them, with Kylo Ren following him with his eyes, "It is time for the First Order to rise. And what better way than to show the galaxy what we're capable of than to destroy a planet that embraces rebellion?" Snoke pulls out a small device that projects a holographic map, showing the location of a planet, "This is Neast. As you know, Imperial rule remained on many planets despite the death of the Emperor, and this is one of them, but after some ten years, they got rid of it. And the burden must've affected them greatly, because they aren't trying to affiliate with the New Republic, allegedly fearing that it will become yet another Empire".

"What will we do, master?" Kylo Ren asked.

"They've been toying with being free for over a decade," Snoke responded, "But no more. We will make sure to bring order to the galaxy. We will slaughter them".

_Slaughter them?_

"Why not just take control of their planet?" Kylo asked.

"Tolerance must be minimal," Snoke responded, "These people have already abused their freedom too much. Their lives will be useful as a demonstration of our power".

_But-_

"But…" Kylo responded, "… what if the Republic learns of this? They will! And we've grown based on them thinking we're not too big of a threat. Won't this blow our cover?".

"Not it we appeal to the Republic's weak morale," Snoke fired back, "They disapprove of Neast's refusal to join, and already paint them as anarchists. All we need to do is feed that idea and then kill them. Their response to us relies on consensus, and killing their enemies will divide their votes. We won't be threatened".

"And you're sure of this?" Kylo Ren asked.

"Kylo Ren…" Snoke replied, approaching his apprentice and putting his hand on the boy's right shoulder, "I've told you of the Galactic Book Keeper. I didn't just pass by his collection. I learned about history. About previous Republics. I know how they work". Snoke then turns his head to the other Knights, "Prepare our shuttle and let General Hux know it's time to deploy his troops. Leave us". The Knights break lines and walk away, "I want you to lead them. If I'm ever gone, this will be all up to you. I hope it isn't too much for your mighty shoulders. I need you to realize that we will often do things you wouldn't have thought of years ago, but you are no longer Ben Solo. You are Kylo Ren… heir apparent to Darth Vader. Do as he would do, not as the boy you used to be would do".

_He's…_

_He's right._

_Is he?_

_Yes, he is. Why do you question him?_

_He's right._

"Now, let's go," Snoke concluded, "We have a mission".

Snoke and his legion departed Mustafar and crossed the galaxy to meet with a First Order fleet just outside Neast's atmosphere. The fleet was made up of ten Star Destroyers, and immediately when Snoke arrived, each Destroyer released over a hundred TIE fighters unto the atmosphere of the planet, as well as dozens of TIE bombers. Snoke's shuttle neared the atmosphere. Ben looked out to the fiery horror. Buildings fell apart and over smaller buildings. Some small ships attempted to fight back, but were outnumbered by the TIEs. And there was also the occasional ship that Snoke destroyed simply with a hand gesture and the Force. It was raining.

"My Knights!" Snoke said, dramatically, "It's time for you to go down on the ground. Our troops will give you a few minutes to slaughter the government on your own. Make me proud," a gate opened in the back of the shuttle, and a ramp led the way to smoke and rubble. The Knights approached the edge, preparing to arrive at their destination, awaiting their master's orders, "And Kylo Ren," Kylo turned to Snoke as he put on his armory helmet and secured his cape, "Remember who you are".

Kylo nodded and Force-pulled his lightsaber to his hand. It resembled the one he had back in the Jedi temple, but was now modified, with a hilt that allowed some heat from the crystal inside it to be released. It had been changed to a new one a few months prior, when he, Snoke, and the Knights visited Ilum, as it was in the process of being turned into a military base for the First Order, and he found many crystals. When he'd first joined the Jedi, he was given a limited choice for his lightsaber, but it was now time to be free. He could make his own weapon. And the new one was chaotic. It was a fiery red that resembled some old designs he'd read about in their travels. It had a broken crystal inside of it, but it was the one Ben wanted. It seemed more powerful, even though it was slightly more fragile and unstable.

Snoke ordered his Knights to jump down to the ground, and so they all leapt off the shuttle and landed in front of the burning capitol building. Some local troops surrounded it and fired at the Knights, but they easily avoided and blocked the blasts. Kylo Ren waved his hand and made everyone lose balance and fall to the ground. Then, before anyone had time to react, he jumped out into the battlefield, ignited his hellish sword, and began slashing down the troops, one by one.

"Nima, Norret, move forward," he signals the capitol building, "Six of you, stay here with me". And so six of the Knights remained with Kylo, aiding in his fight. Their weapons weren't lightsabers, though they had been specifically designed to be resistant to them. It was a nightmarish image. Seven dark warriors made their way through dozens of armed men indiscriminately. Unbeknownst to them, of course, the hopeful and idealistic governor Burnhar, of one of the major regions of Neast, was being carried away by his children, Barbo and Gallada. He was only half-conscious, as one of the first blasts from the TIE fighters had struck near him. The three locals walked right past the battlefield, and Burnhar was just conscious enough to see and hear what was happening.

"Resisting is useless!" Kylo Ren screamed, as he chopped off the head of a local trooper, "You were all dead from the moment we got here!" he Force-pushed two men all the way to the ceiling of the capitol, killing them before they even hit it.

_You have to move on._

Kylo Ren made his way forward, approaching the building that his brothers had entered minutes ago. A small team of Stormtroopers landed in the battlefield right after, following their commander into the center of Neast's government.

Back inside his ship, Snoke connected with his apprentice, and sensed his spirit finally embracing the dark side fully. He smiled. His work had been a success. He'd created a new Darth Vader. And Kylo had the powerful Skywalker lineage. His power would be unmatched.

Snoke moved his hand and caused a building nearby to fall over and collapse.

Ben Solo was dead.

But, years later, the man who was once Kylo Ren was now returning from a day of fishing with Burnhar himself and the little Wille, son of the entire community. Ben was sporting usual black pants and boots, but as opposed to the usual black attire, he now wore a light beige shirt and a dark brown jacket with his sleeves rolled back. Wille is riding Ben's shoulders, and holding on to his head.

"Hey, we should swing by Ferrin's," Ben says, "Thank him for the new clothes".

"I'm glad you like them," Burnhar responds, "And I agree".

The three walk up the hill and the town is finally in sight, but a significant chunk of it is covered by a small shuttle. Ben goes into shock.

"What?!" he asks, terrified, "Where'd that come from?!".

_They're here. I don't know this ship but someone found me._

_They must all be dead._

_No._

_No._

_No._

_This couldn't have happened._

_I failed._

_This was all a mistake._

_I killed them._

_All of them._

_I…_

"Ben!" Burnhar yells. Ben comes back to his body and turns to where Burnhar points. The villagers hold a homemade sign saying 'Farewell, Ben. We love you'.

_I…_

"Burnhar, I…" Ben wipes his sweaty forehead and ducks, "Wille, I need you to climb off, please…". Wille gets off Ben's back and runs toward the villagers. Ben sits down on the ground and tries to regain his breath.

"Hey, we'll be there in a moment!" Burnhar tells the villagers, "I brought food. Set everything up!". He then gets close to Ben himself, "What's going on, Ben?".

"I just…" he responds, "I… wasn't… expecting this".

"Well, we've run into lost people like you in the past," Burnhar says, "And there are some half-made ships on a former hangar nearby. We do this. We rebuild them in a few months".

A small shuttle beams its way through the galaxy. Inside it is Cardo Ren, with one goal: to kill Rey. His shuttle enters Cloon's atmosphere, and he lands on top of a building, from which he can see a wide and incredible landscape.

Ben finally walks up to his villager friends and hugs each one of them, even the ones he barely got to interact with personally. The truth was that he had come to care about all of them as a group. They depended on and trusted each other fully. And it was contagious. Living in this way, where everyone seemed to be concerned about everyone, where no one person's problem wasn't in some way everyone's problem, was something he'd never seen. This was a solidary community. Like a family, but their bond to each other was voluntary and based on empathy.

They all sit down on a long table, as Burnhar, sitting on one end, passes along plates with slices of the fish they caught. Everyone gets a share.

"Before we start the fun part of eating…" Burnhar says. Everybody quiets down and looks to him, "which is the actual eating itself… I want to take a moment for all of us to think about how we get here. We've survived for half a decade just relying on each other. Not only that, but in a matter of months we managed to rebuild a ship, and we're here now, sharing a meal. This is more than most people in this planet had to eat on average about forty years ago, before I even got into office. Let us never forget that the kind of peace and trust and beauty of life that we feel today, which we also feel at times on other days, is a product of our care for each other. Free from greed, free from cheating, free from dishonesty, free from hate, free from privilege. Let us remember that there is nothing more powerful in the galaxy than the love we have for the people around us".

Everyone's eyes are closed, but Ben does look slightly distraught after the speech.

"All right, enough for the preaching, I'm sorry," Burnhar, "I was a politician. Speechifying is a requirement. Thank you for listening… let's get to it".

And the next hour or so is a moment of conflict for Ben. On the one hand, this is everything he's ever wanted. He could have a life here, away from every problem in the galaxy. On the other hand, though, he now has a ship. His lightsaber is in his room. He's healed. It's a silent conflict, but it does tear him apart slowly. Then, the question finally comes up.

"So, what are your plans, Ben?" Nil asks.

Ben turns to her, and his face is very revealing of what's going on inside his head. His lips twitch constantly and his forehead is severely wrinkled.

"I'm uh… I'm not sure yet…" Ben responds, "But I hope I know as soon as possible…".

"Well, it'd be great if you could give us a semblance of an answer before tonight," Hangred says, from across the table, "The weather makes me think there'll be a sandstorm, so we need to know if we'll put it away on a nearby cave or leave it here for takeoff".

"So it's leaving today or leaving tomorrow?" Ben asks.

"Not tomorrow. Last sandstorm we had lasted for almost ten days," Hangred responds, "And we have supplies to survive for that long, but yeah, it'd be ten more days of staying here".

_That doesn't sound terrible. It gives me more time to think._

"Maybe I'll do that," Ben says, "Ten days to say goodbye to all of this… then leave, you know…".

_Will I leave?_

"What will you do?" Alexxo, the local medic, asks.

"I'm not sure," Ben responds, "I'll think about it".

_I've got time._

"Can you help me with this jar?" Wille hands Ben a thick jar with some yellow fluid inside. It looks to be almost sealed. Ben tries to open it, and the effort makes his face get worryingly red.

_Come on, I'm strong!_

_Don't be weak._

_No._

"I think if you rotate the tip, it opens," Wille advices, even though it's what Ben is already trying to do.

"It's okay, I know what I have to do," Ben responds, patiently, "I just don't know if I'm strong en-". His hands loosen their grip on the jar, causing it to fall off his grasp, bounce on the table, and land all the way on the ground, crashing and letting out all of the fluid. Ben almost makes a grunt, and his breathing intensifies.

"Ben?" Burnhar asks, from the end of the table.

Ben's fingers tick and tremble, as if wanting to close into a fist. He closes his eyes.

That was the last thing he'd said to his father. Months ago. He told him he didn't know if he was strong enough, and then asked for his help, only to kill him. He killed him. Stabbed him right through the chest with his lightsaber.

And they would be no different, he thought. Reaching out, helping him, treating him like anything other than a monster, and he'd end up killing them. He'd been taking advantage of them for months, pretending not to care about the fact that he'd been a part of the massacre years earlier.

The guilt would consume him soon enough. And the superficial frustration with the jar simply added spice to the chaotic mixture of destructive feelings he was attempting to process. He didn't belong there. That's not who he was.

_Stop._

_Monster._

Ben spins out of his seat, stands up, walks a few steps away, rubbing his hands all over his face and hair, in frustration. Everyone stares quietly, unsure of what's going on.

Ben finally puts his arms down, his back still turned to the villagers on the table. Burnhar looks concerned, trying to hold back tears.

"I'm leaving…" Ben says, "But I have some last things to say to you all".

Goosebumps run through Burnhar's entire body. What was he going to do and say?

"I'm not who you think I am…" Ben says, as he walks around the table, his face still largely turning away from the people he came to care about, "And it's time to stop pretending," then he finally turns to them, with the child-like authoritative expression he'd gotten used to in his brief time as Supreme Leader, "I'm First Order Comander Kylo Ren," almost everyone around the table gasps in shock, "I've been using you for months to heal… and now I have a way out, and it's time for me to get back to who I am and what I do. This is my fate. This is my life," he then quickly puts his hand forward, summoning his lightsaber, which lands softly inside his grip, and turns on as the sun sets. The saber is even less stable now, almost looking like it's literally on fire now. Kylo Ren's face is a hellish red. Everyone around the table stands up and runs toward the village, except Wille and Burnhar. The former stands on the table, looking shocked.

"Why are you doing this, Ben?" the kid asks.

"Get out of my sight, petulant child!" Ren responds, getting into offensive position with his sword.

"Wille, please go…" Burnhar says, calmly, but sounding disappointed. Wille gets off the table and runs like crazy to the village.

Ren turns to Burnhar, the man who's been behind these months of care and love.

"You knew…" Ren mouths, as he walks a few steps closer toward Burnhar, "Didn't you?".

"No. I thought," Burnhar responds, "I saw you once and I heard you talk. And all the voice modifiers and masks in the world didn't significantly change the way you talked. You dressed the same way, you had your delusions of greatness, you were violent… and when you told me about who you were in the past, it tracked, but I still couldn't know for sure".

"Well, here's your proof," Ren says, menacingly, "Now leave!".

"I thought you were leaving," Burnhar responds, still appearing calm, "You said so".

"You must really hate me," Ren says, "After all of this… all of your hard work. You must want me dead right now. Especially knowing all that I did here years ago".

"Even assuming that you were Kylo Ren, I didn't want you dead," Burnhar responds, "And even seeing that you were a terrible and violent person, I didn't hate you. I felt sadness. No one is born as a monster. I cared and still right now care more about what's in your future. What you choose now".

"Who cares what I choose now?!" Kylo Ren yells, "I killed many and was complicit in the killing of countless more!".

"It sounds like you're the one that hates Kylo Ren…" Burnhar says.

"I am Kylo Ren!"

"Have you always been Kylo Ren?" Burnhar asks.

"Ye- No!" Ren fires back, "I chose to be Kylo Ren!".

"If you hate him so much, I'm not sure why you would choose to continue being Kylo Ren".

Ren tightens his grip on the saber and aggressively cuts down the table in rage.

"I hate you!" Ren screams. Then, Burnhar stands up quietly and walks away slowly.

Ren clenches his fists and teeth. A drop of blood slides down one of his teeth. He then summons black attire from his room and rushes to board the ship, silently.

And so, his ship departs Neast. Kylo Ren has returned.

The ship crosses the galaxies. Kylo Ren finally reaches out with the Force consciously for the first time in months, and his mind feels him. The man who'd reached out to him in his private moments, whose name he never knew. The man to whom the Knights of Ren had turned for guidance upon realizing they couldn't trust their master. The man behind his betrayal. And he was now sitting on the throne of Coruscant, as the head of what was once the First Order.

Coruscant. That's where he had to go to.

"Ben Solo…" Ducan says.

"I killed Ben Solo," Ren responds, "But I'm ready to take my place again. I pledge my loyalty to you. You and the Knights were right to turn against me. I was becoming weak. I needed to regain my strength".

"Then meet me here, on Coruscant," Ducan commands, "We have much to settle".

The dark lord makes his way to the center of the United Galactic Republic. His ship arrives at an elevated landing zone, where a small group of Stormtroopers, seven Knights of Ren, General Hux, and the Supreme Leader himself await. Kylo Ren walks out of the shuttle, and looks around at the city. It's changed a lot from when it was invaded a few months prior, but of course, he didn't see this because he was out of the picture then.

Ducan and Kylo Ren approach each other, and the latter kneels before him in desperation and shame.

"Kylo Ren. I'm glad to see you've reconsidered and now know your allegiances," Ducan says, "We had announced you as dead fighting for our new Republic, but they will buy that we were able to bring you back. We'll just say you were in a coma. It'll garner more support for us if they see you fighting with us, now knowing you are the son of Leia… or at least you used to be".

"Tell me what I must do, Supreme Leader," Ren says, still kneeling and looking down in weakness, "And I will enact your will".

Ducan smiles smugly.

"My loyal Knights," he turns to his faithful servants, "Prepare his quarters," and so the Knights make a reverence and enter the elevator to descend from the landing zone. Ducan again turns to Kylo Ren, "Stand up, commander. There is much you need to be aware of". Kylo Ren stands back up and walks alongside Ducan to another elevator. Hux follows them closely.

"We have a very precise purpose," Ducan explains. The three get into the elevator and close the doors, to begin descending. Hux remains quiet, "We have the wisdom to know that history repeats itself, and thus we have the responsibility of assuring this, of facilitating it. The United Galactic Republic is nothing but a re-branding of the Empire. See, a few decades ago, with the rise of the first Galactic Empire, the galaxy entered a new stage. But more accurately, it was just a rebranding of larger historical patterns. The Jedi and Sith power dynamics and the economic structuring of the galaxy have shaped the way we live for generations. Right now, the Jedi in name are dead. And so are the Sith. But it's again just an issue of branding. The Knights of Ren, led first by Snoke and now by me, and later by whomever it is that's the head of this Republic after me, are just repeating the Sith's role in history. Our newly branded Republic is merely repeating the role of the Old Republic, the Empire, and the First Order. The Rebellion is repeating the role of controlled opposition. It's all part of a cycle, see, and knowing this, how could we reject our duty of making it continue?".

"What does this mean for me?" Kylo Ren asks.

"Well, you are the new Vader," Ducan continues, "When Vader killed the Emperor, it gave the Rebellion a false sense of hope that things would get better, but the system is more powerful than that. More powerful than any one person. It was just a matter of time before Snoke took the Emperor's place, and you took Vader's place. And then, when you killed Snoke, well, it seemed like history would repeat itself. Snoke dead, you turned to the light but also dead… but you didn't die. You took the role of the Emperor, but I noticed that it was too much for you. You couldn't handle it. You were being torn apart. So I knew I had to come in, intervene, and reset things. Currently, I am the Emperor and thus you must be Vader. My loyal, unquestioning servant".

_So does that mean that I will betray and kill him at the last minute and then die unceremoniously?_

"And yes," Ducan says, after reading Ren's mind, "that does mean that you will inevitably betray me and kill me, and then die unceremoniously". The elevator opens, and the three heads of the United Galactic Republic now have a path to walk through, surrounded by Stormtroopers, all the way to the Senate Building.

"I want my mask reassembled," Ren says, coldly, "As soon as possible. And I want my first assignment to be equally soon". It's clear how desperately he wants to prove that he is, in fact, the terrifying, violent, inhumane Kylo Ren.

"I'll see what I can find for you…" Ducan responds, but the truth is he already has an idea.

"I noticed one Knight was absent, where is he?" Ren asks.

"On his way to Cloon on an assignment regarding Rebels," Ducan responds, "He'll be back soon".

And on the other side of the galaxy, Cardo Ren roams the streets at night, focusing deeply, trying to find the scavenger girl. He slows down his breathing, reaching out. And he senses his target on a nearby port, inside a room, deeply asleep.

Kylo Ren looks out the glass at the city. He holds back tears of frustration and hatred. The door to his empty room opens and Flurr Ren shows himself.

"Sidious wants to see you," he says, "I think he's got a mission for you".

"I'll be there," Kylo responds, "Th- It- It's been a while, Flurr".

Flurr does not respond. He just leaves. Kylo goes back to his angst and closes his eyes.

"You know what you have to do" he whispers to himself, and he hits the glass before him.

Minutes later, Kylo Ren enters the Throne Room, where Ducan awaits. As he walks in, a Stormtrooper hands him a newly constructed Helmet, which looks slightly fragile. The sections where the pieces have been fused back together look almost stitched, and still have a reddish tone due to the heat used. Ren puts it on.

"Welcome, my new apprentice, to your new life…" Ducan says, "And as your first official act in it, I need you to quiet down some issues we're having in a far-off planet we just recently began making our way into".

"What must I do?" Ren asks.

"We entered the desert planet of Tatooine about a month ago," Ducan explains, "And we've found some instability. Yesterday, a group of slaves rebelled against their master, and that master was a link with the United Galactic Republic".

"Slaves…" Ren repeats.

"Our troops will lead you to where we believe the slaves to be," Ducan continues, "And you will wipe them out… at least as many as you have to, until they pledge loyalty to our men".

"With all due respect, my lord," Ren responds, "Can't you just have our local troops handle the situation?".

"Surely you must understand the meaning this would have for you…" Ducan explains, "In any other circumstances, I might have them do it on their own, but when I knew you were coming, I knew this was perfect for you. After all, Anakin Skywalker was born as a slave on Tatooine. The circle will now be complete".

Ren remains quiet for a moment, and then he kneels.

"It will be done, my lord".

And he walks out of the room, as Ducan smiles.

Kylo Ren flies out of Coruscant on the shuttle he arrived in. The path is a quiet and somber road of mourning and resignation. This is his fate. And Ducan was right. That's where it all started. Anakin as a slave had been found, identified by the Jedi as the Chosen One, taken away without any interest in the well-being of his mother, indoctrinated to become a Jedi, which gradually destroyed his sense of identity for years, and Chancellor Palpatine finally offered him a path to power: becoming Darth Vader.

It was a path to power, right? It had to have been.

And so when Vader turned to the light and killed Palpatine, he had just succumbed to weakness, right?

Surely, if Kylo Ren was to believe that he was on the right path, he had to believe this. It couldn't just be that Palpatine exploited the flaws of the Jedi to destroy Anakin emotionally and was the only one to offer a path to him that acknowledged his power.

But why did power even matter?

It had to matter, if Kylo Ren was to be his life.

Did power matter at the expense of millions of innocents?

Again, Ren had to believe that it did. And, when he was young and resentful and naive and felt betrayed by everyone, believing it was easy for him, but would it continue to be easy?

Cardo Ren was walking by the hallway that led to all of the rooms in the port. He stopped by each door and took a few seconds to sense the people inside. Finally, he reached one door behind which he felt Rey. Quietly, he pulled out a contractible weapon: a spear that additionally had the top of an axe on one end, aiming both sides. He looked almost like an executioner. And, after all, that was the job he was assigned to do this time.

Cardo Ren touched the door and felt the internal mechanism. A few grids that would usually be open by typing in the right code on a small keyboard beside the door. It's not an issue for someone who knows the Force, to move them with his mind, thus opening the door.

To his shock, however, the door opening up emits a perpetual beep, so the Knight gets into offensive position with his giant axe, and searches for the exact location of his target, but Poe wakes up before everyone else and, almost without thinking, grabs his blaster and fires toward the door, hitting the intruder on the shoulder.

"What?!" Poe yells. Rey's eyes open and she raises her face. The light from the hall outside frames Cardo Ren as a monster of darkness. Rey instinctively extends her arm to summon Leia's lightsaber, as everybody else wakes up. The sword reaches Rey's hand, and it turns on, lighting half the room in green. Chewie grabs his crossbow, hidden under his bed, takes the safety off, and after roaring like a warrior, blasts it on the Knight's direction, but he jumps out of the way, landing amidst the lower level of the room, right in front of the barely-awake Finn, Rose, and Pohleen.

"What's g-?" Finn asks. Cardo Ren lunges at Chewbacca with his axe. The wookie just barely avoids it by taking a step back, but he falls back, dropping his crossbow in the process. He's exposed. Poe fires at the invader, who deflects the blast with his axe, causing it to bounce back to the young Rebel's hand, disarming and wounding him. Finn, Rose and Pohleen are still just barely waking up, trying to decipher what's going on. Cardo Ren raises his axe, in preparation to strike down Chewie. The wookie screams in fear.

The axe stops mid-air. Leia has woken up and is making the Knight stand still.

Rey seemingly comes out of nowhere, slashing Cardo Ren on the ribs. Ren recovers quickly and kicks Rey, causing her to fall to the ground and drop her saber. The room is mostly dark again, so the Knight takes the chance to make a swift move, throwing his weapon toward Leia.

"Leia!" Rey screams, extending her hand and stopping the axe mid-air. But the distraction proves dangerous. In the blink of an eye, Ren rushes to grab Rey's arm, throwing her to the wall. The bump against the wall echoes throughout the whole room, just as Cardo's axe falls to the ground. Ren waves his arm, Force-pushing back everyone in the room. He then Force-pulls his axe back into his hand and prepares for the final blow at Rey.

_It can't end like this._

Rey reacts in a split second, Force-pushing Cardo Ren to the door. The Knight bumps his head on the doorframe and lands on the floor of the hallway. Rey gets back on her feet and grabs the saber again.

"All of you, stay here!" Rey commands, as she jumps onto the higher level, ignites the saber, and rushes to the door. Cardo Ren moves out of the way, standing back up. Rey slashes her saber madly several times in front of her, causing the Knight to step back. It's a tight space. Their weapons clash several times, damaging the walls around them.

In one strike from the scavenger, Cardo Ren Force-pushes her backwards, but she turns mid-air and Force-pushes herself back, landing on her feet and stabbing the Knight on his thigh. Cardo Ren screams in pain.

"Stop this before it gets worse!" Rey screams.

"No one's here to save you!" the Knight responds, then using his weapon as a spear toward Rey, but before he can react, Chewbacca has gotten out of the room and fired right at him, hitting him on the chest, thus ending his attempt at a final strike and leaving him unconscious on the floor.

"Thank you, Chewie…" Rey says, as she regains her breath. Chewie growls peacefully in response. Poe walks out to the hallway as well.

"What…?" he asks, approaching the scene, "What is he, some discount Kylo Ren?".

"We have to cuff him and immobilize him," Rey says, "Now".

Kylo Ren's ship lands in the Tatooine desert, and he's welcomed by ten Stormtroopers. He silently and ominously gets off the ship and a trooper steps out of line to talk to him.

"Sir, the village is nearby. Follow us to find the slaves".

"Show me the way" Ren responds.

The small group makes its way through the desert, and Ren's head goes everywhere.

_I have to do this. No way around or out of it._

As they approach a humble village that looks like it just recently had a violent battle (with several houses having entire portions blown up, the road itself being heavily damaged, and many burnt tables and vehicles spread across the area, having been used as forts), Ren reaches out to find his targets. The troops walk carefully, trying to anticipate every and any possible strike from all sides.

_It's just a few people. Just a few lives to take._

It'd been so easy years ago in Neast. Why wasn't it easy now?

No. It had to be easy.

As they keep walking, they see several corpses across the place. Mostly locals, but a few Stormtroopers as well. It looks like a warzone.

_What?_

Kylo Ren stops walking.

"Sir?" a trooper asks.

"There's only one person here…" Ren says, "There must've been a fight after the Supreme Leader notified me but before I got here… and only one survived".

Kylo Ren turns to a heavily bombed house on his left side.

"He's there…" Ren says, as he turns to walk towards it, "Stay out here".

Ren enters the house. The thick door is out of its frame, lying on the ground. It was blasted away. There are five bodies in this first room. All of them seem to be slaves. The walls, floor, and ceiling are covered up in dark spots, where blasters were shot. Ren stares at each corpse. His mask makes it impossible for his expression to be seen.

Ren walks through the door frame to the next room. There are even more corpses in this one, though three are Stormtroopers. So much violence and death. Ren opens what's left of the door to the next room. This one has no windows. The only light that comes in is through the space of the door itself. Ren enters and immediately locates his target.

There's a little kid, with blue skin and red pupils, and an unusually flat nose with no pores, wearing robes and still carrying part of a chain cuffed to his right hand. The child tries to cover his face, on the very corner of the room, opposite to where the door is.

Kylo Ren approaches him and turns on his lightsaber, which again flinches out of instability, looking like it will blow up any minute. The child uncovers his face, and looks up to the emotionless mask hiding Ren's face.

"Who are you?" he asks.

Ren slowly raises the saber, preparing to strike.

"Are you going to kill me for being a slave and wanting to be free and have my own life?" the child asks.

_This is who I am._

_I have to do this._

_It's just one life._

_This is who and what I am._

_My choice._

Ren takes a deep breath as the child closes his eyes and covers them with his hands.

_My choice._

The saber is turned off.

The child uncovers his eyes and opens them.

The barely reassembled mask is thrown to the ground in anger.

"I'm sorry"

_This is who I am. My choice._

"I'm sorry about all of this. My name is Ben Solo," he says, then kneeling down to be face to face with the boy, "I will make this right… if you follow our trail, you'll find a small black shuttle. It's mine. Type in the code 703925, and wait for me. I'll take you somewhere safe. Let me distract the soldiers," he stands up to leave the room.

"You know that won't solve the problem, right?" the kid says, "I'm not the only slave in this planet, and this planet isn't the only place with slaves".

_I know he's right. And I know I can help with this._

"You're right," Ben responds, "And I'll find a way. But right now I don't want you to stay here on your own. Get to my ship, I'll see you there".

Ben walks back and grabs his mask again, putting it back on his head and then walking out of the room.

"Search the rest, ahead of us, just in case!" Ben orders the troops. The ten troopers disperse to look inside each house. Ben looks back at the house he just came out of, and sees the boy discreetly walking away, toward the ship. Ben makes a half smile beneath the helmet.

For the first time, he's not lying to himself about it.

_I know what I have to do._

Ben Solo is alive.

**END OF PART II**


End file.
